Presence of Values in Codes of Ethics of Professional Health Science Associations

Julio Alberto Piscoya Arbañil · Progress in Medical Sciences (2026) · DOI: 10.47363/pms/2026(10)253

Resumen

Objective: To conduct a review of the codes of ethics of professional associations in the health sciences in order to identify the ethical values promoted by each of them. Material and Methods: A review was carried out on the Codes of Ethics and Deontology of the Professional Associations of Medicine, Nursing, Obstetrics, Psychology, and Dentistry. The inclusion criterion was the current validity of the codes at the time of the research. A comparative documentary analysis technique was used for data collection, for which an Excel-based instrument was designed and adapted. Results: The professional nursing association promotes a total of 18 principles. The medical association promotes 22, and the obstetricians’ association promotes 15. The codes of ethics of the psychology and dentistry associations each include only 5 principles. Conclusion: There is a numerical difference in the principles promoted by each professional association. A total of 26 ethical principles are promoted and should be known by students before beginning their clinical practice. Therefore, it is proposed to develop a bioethics guide for health sciences students.

Instituciones: Universidad de Piura; Universidad Nacional de Piura