Analysis of the new Spanish nurse’s Code of Ethics and Deontology

In April 2026, the new ‘Code of Ethics and Deontology of the Spanish Nurse’ (CDE 2026) came into force, approved by the General Assembly of the General Council of Official Colleges of Nursing with an endorsement exceeding 93%. This article analyzes the new Spanish nursing code, focussing on the novelties introduced relative to the previous code. A narrative review was conducted through qualitative documentary analysis with a hermeneutic-critical approach. The primary corpus comprised two documents: the ‘Deontological Code of Spanish Nursing’ (CDE 1998) and the CDE 2026. A comparative analysis of both documents was first carried out to identify the novelties and modifications in the CDE 2026 relative to the CDE 1998, followed by a complementary literature review to enrich the hermeneutic-critical analysis. The CDE 2026 maintains continuity with the core values of the nursing profession. However, it represents a qualitative and quantitative leap compared with the CDE 1998, incorporating previously non-existent subjects such as artificial intelligence, health digitalisation, sexual diversity, organ donation, assisted reproduction, genetic counselling, decision-making in disability, obstetric care, expert testimony, end-of-life management (including euthanasia), and global health. The study identifies areas for improvement that do not obscure an overall positive assessment but rather point the way forward for successive revisions. The CDE 2026 represents a profound update of professional nursing deontology, aligned with its international benchmarks and underpinned by a solid ethical and legal framework. It clarifies the disciplinary regime, advances nurse accountability, and, through its commitment to continuing ethics education and its mandatory periodic review, is configured as a living framework capable of evolving.