Nurses are placed in a unique situation when confronted by demands for overtime. Ethical nursing practice prohibits nurses from engaging in behavior that they know could harm patients. Absent legislation, nurses will continue to confront this dilemma. Problems arising from mandatory overtime harm nurses, their patients, and the nursing profession. For this reason, ANA supports legislative initiatives to ban the use of mandatory overtime through Medicare and Medicaid conditions of participation.
Patient advocacy is the heart of nurse's professional commitment.
In turn, patients depend on nurses to ensure that they receive proper care. Patients must be assured that nurses and other health care professionals, acting within the scope of their expertise, will be able to speak for them without fear of retaliation. Whistleblowing by nurses usually results from concern about issues that jeopardize the health or safety of patients, or occupational safety and health violations that place the employee at risk. In 1989, Congress enacted the Whistle-Blower Protection Act to protect Federal workers. This law was expanded in 1994 to cover workers in veterans' facilities hired under Title 38, as well as government employees.