Title I: Profession of nurse

In accordance with the law, in secondary schools, nurses may, in application of a national protocol laid down by decree, administer emergency contraception to minors and adults in cases of emergency. They provide psychological support for the pupil and ensure that medical follow-up is provided.

To guarantee the quality of the care they provide and patient safety, nurses have a duty to update and perfect their skills. They must take all necessary steps to meet their obligations in terms of continuing professional development.

Nurses must not disseminate in professional or medical circles a new nursing technique or procedure which has not been sufficiently tested, without accompanying this dissemination with the necessary reservations. Nurses also have a duty not to use new nursing techniques which would put the patient at undue risk.

During students’ clinical placements, the nurse shall ensure that the prior consent of the patient is obtained for the examination or care provided by or in the presence of the student. The student receiving such instruction must be informed beforehand by the nurse of the need to respect the rights of patients and the duties of nurses as set out in this Code of Ethics.

When using their experience or documents for teaching or scientific publication, nurses ensure that it is not possible to identify individuals.

It is forbidden to practise nursing under a pseudonym. A nurse who uses a pseudonym for activities relating to his or her profession must declare this to the Conseil Départemental de l’Ordre. Professionals acting in a private capacity under cover of a pseudonym are prohibited, regardless of the means of communication used, from claiming to be professionals without disclosing their identity.

Nurses who have links with companies and establishments producing or exploiting health products or with advisory bodies working on these products are obliged to make these links known to the public when they speak at a public event, university teaching or continuing education or therapeutic education activity, in the written or audiovisual press or via any written or online publication.

Nurses are prohibited from receiving benefits in kind or in cash, in any form whatsoever, directly or indirectly, from companies providing services or producing or marketing products covered by compulsory social security schemes. However, the exceptions provided for in articles L. 1453-6 and L. 1453-7 apply to nurses.

Nurses shall ensure, in particular when participating as an expert in a body, group or other commission organised by the public authority, that they declare any interests which may call into question their impartiality and independence, or which may affect the quality of their expertise or judgement. He shall comply with the procedures organised for this purpose by the public authority.

Nurses must not use their professional position to try to obtain for themselves or for others an unjustified advantage or profit or to commit an act contrary to probity.