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Available on 25 Jun 2026
$107.99

Available for purchase via Bloomsbury etextbooks on publication date

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Description

Now in its third edition, this popular textbook equips health care professionals with the tools to navigate legal and ethical challenges effectively.

Grounded in the four principles of biomedical ethics – autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence and justice – and aligned with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Codes of Ethics and Codes of Conduct, it provides a clear framework for analysing and approaching complex ethical and legal issues in professional practice.

New to this edition:
- Contributions from a diverse team of new and established co-authors
- Two brand-new chapters on dispensing and prescribing medications and independent practice
- Expanded coverage on rural practice, cultural safety and Indigenous perspectives
- Comprehensive updates to reflect changes in law, including human rights legislation and revised professional codes

Packed with practical learning tools, this book is an essential resource for students and practitioners, offering a clear decision-making framework to help you act with confidence.

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Ethics and law
Chapter 2: Ethics and ethical and legal decision-making frameworks
Chapter 3: The Australian legal system
Chapter 4: Ethics, law and nursing and midwifery practice
Chapter 5: Ethics, Law and nursing and midwifery scope of practice
Chapter 6: Adult patients – consent and refusal of consent
Chapter 7: Children and young people as patients
Chapter 8: Ethics, law, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients
Chapter 9: Law, ethics, and health information management
Chapter 10: Patient safety and negligence
Chapter 11: Ethics, law, and mental health
Chapter 12: Ethics, law, and the elderly
Chapter 13: End-of-life issues
Chapter 14: Issues relevant to reproduction, pregnancy, and the birth of a child
Chapter 15: Ethics, law, and dispensing and prescribing medications

Appendices
Code of conduct for nurses
Code of conduct for midwives
Where to find the International Council of Nurses Code of Ethics and the International Confederation of Midwives Code of Ethics
Glossary
Index

Product details

Bloomsbury Academic Test
Published 25 Jun 2026
Format Ebook (Epub & Mobi)
Edition 3rd
Pages 432
ISBN 9781350514003
Imprint Bloomsbury Academic
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Fiona McDonald

Fiona McDonald is a Professor in the Faculty of La…

Author

Fiona McDonald

Fiona McDonald is a Professor in the Faculty of La…

Author

Shih-Ning Then

Shih-Ning Then is a Professor in the Faculty of La…

Author

Shih-Ning Then

Shih-Ning Then is a Professor in the Faculty of La…

Author

Sam Boyle

Sam Boyle is a Senior Lecturer in the School of La…

Author

Sam Boyle

Sam Boyle is a Senior Lecturer in the School of La…

Author

Michelle Gunn

Michelle Gunn is a Registered Nurse and Lawyer and…

Author

Michelle Gunn

Michelle Gunn is a Registered Nurse and Lawyer and…

Author

Mary Claire Balnaves

Mary Claire Balnaves is a Registered Nurse and Reg…

Author

Mary Claire Balnaves

Mary Claire Balnaves is a Registered Nurse and Reg…

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