What is the purpose of the AANA Code of Ethics for CRNAs?

• A. To guide professional conduct and protect patient rights
• B. To regulate hospital budgets
• C. To control patient billing
• D. To guide professional conduct, protect patient rights, maintain confidentiality, ensure competence, and uphold integrity and accountability in practice

Answer: (D)

The purpose of the AANA Code of Ethics for CRNAs is to provide a professional framework that guides conduct and safeguards patient welfare across all aspects of anesthesia care. It establishes how CRNAs should interact with patients, colleagues, and the profession, ensuring that ethical decisions are made consistently. The code emphasizes protecting patient rights, including informed consent and autonomy, while also maintaining patient confidentiality and providing care that reflects competence through ongoing education and skill development. It calls for integrity and accountability, meaning CRNAs act honestly, report unsafe practices, and uphold standards of practice.

This broad focus is what makes it the best answer, because it covers the essential elements of professional ethics—patient rights, confidentiality, competence, integrity, and accountability—in one cohesive framework. Administrative matters like hospital budgeting or patient billing fall outside the ethical obligations and are addressed through governance or financial processes rather than the ethical standards themselves.