Final answer:
The nursing code of ethics is a set of guidelines that direct ethical behavior and decision-making for professional registered nurses, emphasizing compassionate care, integrity, and patient safety.
Step-by-step explanation:
The code of ethics for professional registered nurses that would guide care decisions in a clinical setting is best described as guidelines for ethical behavior and decision-making in nursing. These ethical codes are not laws but standards that help professionals uphold their practice to the highest ethical standards. They provide a framework for nurses to engage in ethical consideration regarding compassionate care, respect for patient autonomy, and the provision of informed consent. The code of ethics emphasizes the importance of nonmaleficence, ensuring that actions by healthcare professionals do no harm, and supports the dignity and safety of all patients.
Codes of ethics in various professions act as a guide to ensure that individual members of the profession conduct themselves with integrity, respect, and in a manner that upholds public trust in the profession. This is similar across fields, whether it is engineering with the IEEE-CS's Software Engineering Code of Ethics or in healthcare with nursing and medical ethics.