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Profession-specific course

Ethics and Ethical Standards for Nurses and Midwives

Applying the NMBA Codes and the International Codes of Ethics Adopted in Australia

  • 2 CPD hoursEstimated learning time
  • 15-question assessmentPass mark 80%
  • Online, self-pacedStart any time
  • CertificateFor your CPD records

Written for

About this course

Nurses and midwives face ethical questions every shift. A capable patient refuses care the team thinks he needs. A woman declines an induction her obstetrician is pushing for. A family asks you not to tell their mother she is dying. A dementia patient is sedated to make the evening easier. A colleague documents care that never happened. The codes tell you what is expected, but in the moment you need a way to think it through.

This nursing ethics course gives you that way of thinking. It explains the ICN Code of Ethics for Nurses and the ICM International Code of Ethics for Midwives that the NMBA has adopted, translates the core principles into plain language, and teaches a structured process you can use on the ward, in the birth suite or in the community.

It then works through the situations Australian nurses and midwives actually meet: informed choice and the dignity of risk, capacity and substitute decisions, mature minors, safe staffing, cultural safety, restrictive practices, end-of-life care, voluntary assisted dying, termination of pregnancy and conscientious objection, moral distress and speaking up.

Who this course is for

  • Registered nurses, enrolled nurses and nurse practitioners in any setting
  • Midwives in hospital, continuity of care, community and private practice
  • New graduates building confidence with ethical reasoning and speaking up
  • Nurses and midwives in aged care, disability, mental health and remote settings
  • Clinical leaders and educators who support teams through ethical dilemmas
  • Nurses and midwives who want a refresher on the codes of ethics adopted in Australia

What you’ll learn

  • Reason through dilemmas clearly

    Use a structured process to name the values in conflict, check the law and codes, weigh options and document your reasoning.

  • Respect choice without abandoning care

    Support informed decisions, capacity and substitute decision-making while continuing to care and advocate.

  • Handle objection and sensitive care ethically

    Exercise conscientious objection lawfully in VAD and reproductive care and practise in a culturally safe way.

  • Act with moral courage

    Recognise moral distress, seek support and speak up using clear, structured language.

Learning objectives

  • Explain how the ICN and ICM codes of ethics relate to the NMBA codes of conduct and standards for practice.
  • Use core ethical principles, care ethics and human rights to name what is at stake in a situation.
  • Apply a structured ethical decision-making process and document your reasoning.
  • Respect informed choices, support decision-making and advocate for people's wishes.
  • Exercise conscientious objection in a way that does not obstruct lawful care.
  • Practise in a culturally safe way and recognise ethical risks for people in vulnerable circumstances.
  • Respond ethically to end-of-life, voluntary assisted dying and reproductive care situations.
  • Recognise moral distress, seek support and speak up about unsafe or unethical care.

Scenarios covered

Practice situations you reason through, step by step, in the course.

  • A capable patient who wants to go home

    Respecting an informed refusal of further hospital care and reframing a 'non-compliant' label into a clear plan built around his goals.

  • Declining induction after a traumatic birth

    How a midwife supports informed choice without coercion, documents the discussion and keeps the team working together.

  • The resident who wants to walk without her frame

    Applying the dignity of risk in aged care with a shared, documented plan.

  • A quiet young woman far from home

    Cultural safety in practice: rethinking a handover label and involving family and an Aboriginal liaison officer.

  • A question about voluntary assisted dying

    Responding respectfully, knowing your state's rules and handling conscientious objection without obstruction.

  • Observations that were never done

    Moral courage for a graduate nurse who sees a senior colleague falsify a record.

Course contents

6 sections, 21 lessons, then the final assessment.

  1. Section 1: The Ethical Framework for Australian Nurses and Midwives4 lessons
    • 1.1 Ethics, Conduct and Standards: How They Fit Together
    • 1.2 The ICN Code of Ethics for Nurses
    • 1.3 The ICM International Code of Ethics for Midwives
    • 1.4 Core Ethical Principles in Practical Form
  2. Section 2: Ethical Reasoning in Practice4 lessons
    • 2.1 Recognising Ethical Issues
    • 2.2 A Structured Decision-Making Process
    • 2.3 Personal Values and Conscientious Objection
    • 2.4 Talking It Through and Writing It Down
  3. Section 3: Autonomy, Consent and Advocacy4 lessons
    • 3.1 Respecting Choices, Including Choices You Disagree With
    • 3.2 Capacity, Supported Decision-Making and Substitute Decisions
    • 3.3 Advocacy and Informed Choice in Nursing and Midwifery
    • 3.4 Children and Young People
  4. Section 4: Justice, Equity and Cultural Safety3 lessons
    • 4.1 Fairness in Workload, Time and Resources
    • 4.2 Cultural Safety as an Ethical Commitment
    • 4.3 People in Vulnerable Circumstances and Restrictive Practices
  5. Section 5: Ethics at the End and Beginning of Life3 lessons
    • 5.1 End-of-Life Care and Goals of Care
    • 5.2 Voluntary Assisted Dying
    • 5.3 Reproductive Ethics and Perinatal Loss
  6. Section 6: Moral Courage, Moral Distress and Integrity3 lessons
    • 6.1 Moral Distress and Looking After Yourself
    • 6.2 Speaking Up and Moral Courage
    • 6.3 Ethics in a Digital Workplace
  7. Final assessment and written reflection15 questions

Assessment and certificate

  1. Work through the course

    Study each section at your own pace, including the case illustrations and apply-it questions.

  2. Pass the assessment

    15 scenario-based questions. You need 12 correct (80%) to pass.

  3. Write your reflection

    A short written reflection on how the learning applies to your own practice.

  4. Download your certificate

    Shows your name, the course, the date and 2 CPD hours. Anyone can check it on our verification page.

What you keep for your CPD records

  • A certificate of completion recording approximately 2 hours of learning, to file with your CPD record
  • A written reflective account based on three nursing and midwifery ethics prompts
  • A quick-reference ethical reasoning guide and set of phrases for difficult moments
  • Case illustrations you can use for team discussion or clinical supervision

How certificates and CPD records workVerify a certificate

Primary sources

The course is built on these official documents. Check them for the current version.

Questions about this course

Is this course recognised by Ahpra or the NMBA?

No. This is independent education. It is not accredited by Ahpra, not approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and not endorsed by any professional body; National Boards do not accredit individual CPD courses. Record the time you actually spend against your own CPD plan and decide whether the learning is relevant to your practice.

Which code of ethics applies to nurses in Australia?

The NMBA has adopted the International Council of Nurses Code of Ethics for Nurses. The revised 2021 version has applied in Australia since late 2021, alongside the NMBA Code of conduct for nurses.

Which code of ethics applies to midwives?

The NMBA has adopted the International Confederation of Midwives International Code of Ethics for Midwives. The ICM Council adopted an updated code in June 2026, so check the NMBA's professional standards page to confirm the version that currently applies.

How is this different from a professionalism course for nurses and midwives?

This course is about ethics: values, ethical reasoning and dilemmas. Professionalism courses focus on conduct, standards for practice, scope, CPD, recency and records. The two complement each other, and this course does not repeat professionalism content in depth. If you need both, completing them together gives a fuller picture of how values and standards work side by side in everyday care.

Can I refuse to take part in voluntary assisted dying or termination of pregnancy?

Yes. Australian laws recognise conscientious objection, but they also set obligations, such as telling the person, not obstructing access and, under some laws, referring or providing information, and participating in emergencies. The course explains how to object ethically and lawfully.

Does the course cover cultural safety?

Yes. It explains the National Scheme definition of cultural safety that the NMBA adopted in March 2025 and what culturally safe practice looks like in everyday nursing and midwifery.

How long does it take and how is it assessed?

It is designed to take about two hours, including reading, reflection points, a written reflective account and a 15-question scenario-based assessment with a pass mark of 12 out of 15.

Will this course satisfy a condition or undertaking on my registration?

Not automatically. Only Ahpra or the NMBA can decide whether a course meets a condition or undertaking. If you have one, check with Ahpra or the Board, and your lawyer or professional indemnity insurer, before you enrol for that purpose.