Ethical Issues In Nursing Practice

between two sets of human values, both of which are judged to be “good” but neither of

2. Nurse will educate patient on the risks of taking drugs/medications without proper use. Learning when it is appropriate to take medications along with the side effects that occur with them will help to prevent the risk of overdose and abuse.

It’s the nurse’s responsibility to keep the information private. It would be appropriate for the nurse to inform a person or family member only if they are authorized to have the patient’s information. Divulging patient information may also be appropriate when given permission by the patient to do

The main ethical issues that presented in the case scenario is maintaining privacy and confidentiality. “Privacy is limited access to a person, the person’s body, conversations, bodily functions or objects immediately associated with the person” (CNO, 2009, p. 7). Nurses recognize the importance

Nathanson, Pamela G., "Bioethics on NBC's ER: Betraying Trust or Providing Good Care? When Is It Ok to Break Confidentiality?

Simplistic assertions about telling the truth may not be helpful to patients or physicians in times of trouble. The principle of respect for autonomy, suggests that patients should not be misled or left uniformed. Patients, can be empowered to safeguard their interests when told the truth. He truth calls for tact and decency. Put oneself in the patient’s position. Maximal physiological function or in this case , mere survival. The obligation to disclose relevant, reasonably expected truths is not absolute but prima facie. Under a pluralist moral framework, which acknowledges a pluralityof moral values, there may be other considerations that trump the duty to tell the truth. If telling the truth is likely to endanger the life of a frail patient, for example, then my obligation of non-maleficence may trump my duty to tell the

In conclusion, NMBA guidelines provide useful references for all nurses and nursing students regarding their responsibilities. Following this guidelines, it is the responsibility of Gemma to respect the patient's privacy and not disclosing his ongoing treatment to his wife. She should politely request patient's wife to come to the hospital and verify her identity. She should also gain patient's consent to reveal the information to the patient's wife.

First is the principal of beneficence which “requires nurses to act in ways that benefit patients” (Burkhardt, 2014, p.69). This principle tells us that one should promote good, prevent harm and remove evil or harm.

RN’s were named honest and ethical by the American Nurses Association and a Gallup poll in 2014, people voted and them the most honest and ethical (American Nurse, 2015).According to Masters the code of ethics for nurses contains general moral provisions and standards for nurses to follow, but specific guidelines for clinical practice, education, research and administration are contained within the statements. The code is non-negotiable. (Masters, p.1 Patients Patients are unique individuals.

Through communication with the two girls the nurse finds out that they have both been participating in sex parties and engaging sexually with multiple partners. At this point, the nurse is torn with multiple ethical dilemmas and is torn with how to maintain the confidentiality that was promised. Applying a combination of ethical theories the nurse can identify how to best handle these ethical dilemmas. It is important that the nurse communicates the need for treatment for cervical cancer and that having her parents consent is most likely going to be necessary. Virtue ethics can be applied here as it is about an individual of good character doing the right thing. The nurse communicates the severity of her diagnosis and through guidance may be able to create understanding of her patients need to inform her parents.

Allen believes that paternalistic secrecy was a major feature in health care, but the ideas of patient autonomy and informed consent do not happen. Health care is changing from the doctor is always right, to asking questions about care and making decisions with the health care team. He does maintain that in some cultures, this is tolerable, and wanted by patients, as it is what they know and seek conform in this method. The family can take care of them as the patient is ill and will prepare for the end of life care. Allen does go on to state that if deception is wrong, then lying about medical treatment and prognosis is unethical (Allen, 2015).

Additionally, nurses at the bedside are essential, to increase confidence and build the patients trust some valuable information might not get revealed to medical providers. The nurse spends added time at the bedside getting to know their patients and often have more knowledge about the patient than other providers. Furthermore, the nurse serves as a mediator for the patient and convey information to other medical staff. Additionally, nurses, in general, do an in-depth head to toe assessment on patients, therefore are a crucial part of the healthcare

Ethical issues in nursing will always be an ongoing learning process. Nurses are taught in nursing school what should be done and how. Scenarios are given on tests with one right answer. However, there are situations that nurses may encounter that may have multiple answers and it is hard to choose one. “Ethical directives are not always clearly evident and people sometimes disagree about what is right and wrong” (Butts & Rich, 2016). When an ethical decision is made by a nurse, there must be a logical justification and not just emotions.

One ethical dilemma Anthony has encountered is helping the family understand where their loved one is currently standing. Communicating life threatening news takes courage and certain factors need to be taken into consideration. In the textbook, The Last Dance it is stressed that physicians must “consider the patient’s personality, emotional constitution, and capacity for continued function under stress.” Communication is essential and how and when the life threatening news is conveyed is an essential part of this process. Furthermore, DeSpelder and Strickland (2009) say that “how the diagnosis is communicated can influence a patient attitude toward the illness, response to treatment, ability to cope.”

The ethical dilemma is a situation by which it’s difficult to determine whether a situation is can be handled without disappointing both sides. Therefore, an ethical dilemma exists when the right thing to do is clear or when members of the healthcare team cannot agree on the right thing to do. Ethical dilemmas require negotiation of different points of view (potter, Perry, Stockert, & Hall 2011pg 78).