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Ethics and Ethical Standards for Nurses & Midwives

Principles, the NMC Code and Professional Conduct in Nursing and Midwifery

  • About 2 hours estimated learning time
  • 6 sections, 19 lessons
  • Checkpoints and a 15-question final assessment
  • Online, self-paced, any device

About this course

Nurses, midwives and nursing associates spend more time with patients and families than any other professionals, often at the most vulnerable moments of their lives. They make ethical decisions constantly: how to respect a person's choice that carries risk, when to share information, how to respond when care falls short, what to do when staffing makes safe care difficult, and how to support a woman's choices in labour. The Nursing and Midwifery Council's Code sets out the professional standards that guide these decisions.

This course applies the core ethical principles to nursing and midwifery practice. It explains the NMC's role and the Code, ethics in midwifery, consent and capacity, confidentiality, honesty and candour, records, raising concerns, conscientious objection, communication, professional boundaries, and how the NMC responds when standards are breached.

CPD Value and How to Record It

This course is designed to provide approximately 2 hours of learning, including reading, the reflection points, the reflective account and the assessment. In the UK, CPD is generally recorded as the time actually spent learning, so you should record the time you genuinely spend, which may be more or less than the estimate.

How the course fits your revalidation or CPD requirements depends on your regulator. For example, the NMC asks nurses, midwives and nursing associates to record 35 hours of CPD over three years, of which at least 20 must be participatory; self-directed online learning such as this course usually counts as individual learning unless you complete it with others. The GMC expects doctors to reflect on CPD for appraisal and revalidation rather than setting a fixed number of hours. The HCPC, GDC, GPhC, GOC, GOsC and GCC each set their own CPD requirements, so check the current rules that apply to you. Always keep your certificate together with your written reflection.

What you will learn

  • Explain why ethics is central to nursing and midwifery practice.
  • Describe the NMC's role and the structure of the Code.
  • Apply autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice and confidentiality to care.
  • Support informed choice, including in maternity care, and assess capacity.
  • Act with honesty and candour, keep accurate records and raise concerns.
  • Understand the limits of conscientious objection and maintain boundaries.
  • Respond to breaches with reflection and remediation.

Who it is for

Registered nurses, midwives and nursing associates in all settings, including those responding to a concern

Standards and law covered

NMC The Code; NMC guidance on raising concerns, social media and fitness to practise; professional duty of candour; Mental Capacity Act 2005; conscientious objection law; key maternity safety reports

Course content

Lessons open one after another as you work through the course. They unlock once you enrol.

1Overview of Healthcare Ethics3 lessons
  • 1.1 What Medical Ethics Means
  • 1.2 Why Ethics Matters in Nursing and Midwifery
  • 1.3 Overview of the NMC's Role
  • 1.4 Key Points and Knowledge Check: Section 1
2The Core Ethical Principles in Healthcare Practice4 lessons
  • 2.1 Respecting Patient Autonomy
  • 2.2 Beneficence and Non-Maleficence
  • 2.3 Fairness and Justice
  • 2.4 Confidentiality
  • 2.5 Summary Points and Quiz for Section 2
3Professional Integrity and Honesty3 lessons
  • 3.1 Capacity, Best Interests and Restrictive Practice
  • 3.2 Being Open When Things Go Wrong
  • 3.3 Documentation and Record-Keeping
  • 3.4 Summary Points and Quiz for Section 3
4Patient-Centred Care and Shared Decision-Making2 lessons
  • 4.1 Raising and Escalating Concerns
  • 4.2 Communicating with Patients
  • 4.3 Key Points and Knowledge Check: Section 4
5Professional Boundaries and Conduct2 lessons
  • 5.1 Maintaining Appropriate Boundaries
  • 5.2 What the NMC Says About Boundaries
  • 5.3 Summary Points and Quiz for Section 5
6Breaches of Expected Ethical Standards4 lessons
  • 6.1 Common Breaches
  • 6.2 Outcomes of Ethical Breaches
  • 6.3 The NMC's Actions in Response to Breaches
  • 6.4 Steps to Remediate a Breach
  • 6.5 Summary Points and Quiz for Section 6
7Conclusion and Takeaways1 lesson
  • 7.1 Bringing It Together: Key Messages
Reflection and final assessment3 steps
  • Your reflective account
  • Final assessment: 15 questions, 80% to pass
  • Certificate of completion
2 hours

Estimated learning time

This covers the lessons, section checkpoints, your reflective account and the final assessment. Everyone works at a different pace, so record the time you actually spend in your CPD log. The player shows the time you have spent in the course to help you.

Your certificate of completion

When you pass the final assessment you can download a certificate showing your name, the course title, the estimated learning time, your completion date and a certificate number that anyone can check on this website. Keep it with your reflective account in your CPD records.

Questions about this course

How long does the course take?

The estimated learning time is about 2 hours, including the lessons, section checkpoints, your reflective account and the final assessment. People work at different speeds, so record the time you actually spend in your own CPD log.

How do I access the course after buying it?

Log in to your FTP Courses account and open the course from My Courses. The course runs in your web browser on a computer, tablet or phone, and your progress is saved to your account so you can stop and continue later.

How is the course assessed?

Each section ends with a short checkpoint. At the end there is a final assessment of 15 questions; you need 80% (12 correct) to pass. If you do not pass, you can review the course and try again after a short wait.

What do I receive when I finish?

You can download a certificate of completion showing your name, the course title, the estimated learning time, your completion date and a certificate number that can be checked online. You can also download your reflective account for your CPD portfolio.

Is this course linked to my regulator?

No. FTP Courses is an independent education provider and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any UK regulator. The course is CPD-aligned: it is written to help you learn and reflect against your regulator's published standards, and on completion you receive a certificate of completion stating the estimated learning time. Record the time you actually spend in your own CPD log, and decide how the course fits your CPD or any remediation plan, ideally with advice from your defence organisation, union or legal adviser.

Will completing the course guarantee a particular outcome in a complaint or investigation?

No course can guarantee an outcome. Decision-makers look at genuine insight, reflection and sustained change in your practice. The course is designed to support that learning; it does not replace it.