Ethical Dilemmas In Nursing

580 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The four principles of medical ethics

An ethical dilemma is a position where there is conflict between two options due to the value for each option being different but similarly important and morally correct (Ethics for Nurses, 2013). It is possible that is an ethical dilemma might arise in health care. For example, when the patient, family members and/ or medical team have different understanding of situation because they use different ethical principles. Ethical dilemmas are not easy to resolve possible to produce a simple, suitable solution because the ethical values are of equal important (Narrigan, 2004). Nurses must have the necessary skills to be able to deal with ethical dilemmas. They must be able to identify ethical dilemmas when they present as well as to consider relevant principles involved in the ethical dilemma and to identify the conflict between these principles. The nurse should be able to resolve the ethical dilemma in the best interest of the patient by making a decision that is legal and within the professional standards and instructions related to their nursing …show more content…

Mark is still conscious and oriented and informs the nurse that he does not wish to receive a blood transfusion under any circumstance because he is a Jehovah’s Witness and receiving a blood transfusion goes against his religion. Mark presents the nurse will a signed Refusal of Treatment document. Pam, Mark’s girlfriend insists that the nurse ignore the document and administer the blood. She threats to sue the nurse and the doctor for negligence if Mark is not given the blood. The ethical dilemma is therefore whether the nurse should act to support Mark’s right to make his own decision (by not administering the blood transfusion) or to act to save his life (according to Pam’s wishes) by administering the blood

Show More
Related

  • Medical Assistant: An Ethical Dilemmas

    677 Words  | 2 Pages

    An ethical issue or dilemma is a situation that is usually complex and it often involves an apparent mental conflict between moral imperatives. The moral imperatives must be obeyed resulting in transgressing another. When it comes to medical assisting, ethical issues frequently arise in health care according to the article on the ANM healthcare website. A medical assistant is an unlicensed support person who must work under the direction of a licensed professional and also may come upon ethical issues related to the field of practice. Ethical codes in the health care often derive from medical ethics in which they include expectations such as compassion, competency, and professionalism. “The AAMA Medical Assistant Code of Ethics requires medical

    Read More

  • Medical Marijuana Ethical Dilemmas

    1343 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the medical profession, doctors and nurses run into ethical dilemmas every day whether it be a mother who wants to abort her baby or a patient who has decided they want to stop cancer treatment. It is important for the nurse to know where they stand with their own moral code, but to make sure they are not being biased when educating the patient. Nurses are patient advocates, it is in the job description, so although the nurse may not agree with the patient on their decisions, the nurse to needs to advocate for the patient regardless.

    Read More

  • Nursing Case Study: Erin's Dilemma

    717 Words  | 2 Pages

    During week 4, we became familiar with the application of ethics in the nursing practice settings. We learned about ethical theories and principles, which are crucial when practicing in any clinical settings during ethical decision-making and while facing one or multiple ethical dilemmas. Also, we were introduced to the MORAL model used in ethical decision – making progress. The MORAL model is the easiest model to use in the everyday clinical practice, for instance at bedside nursing. This model can be applyed in any clinical settings and its acronyms assist

    Read More

  • Nursing: An Ethical Dilemma

    1190 Words  | 3 Pages

    Define a critical thinking task that your staff does frequently (Examples: treat high blood sugar, address low blood pressure, pain management, treating fever etc.). Create a concept map or flow chart of the critical thinking process nurses should take to determining the correct intervention. Include how much autonomy a nurse should have to apply personal wisdom to the process. If the critical thinking process was automated list two instances where a nurse may use “wisdom” to override the automated outcome suggested. Note the risks and benefits of using clinical decision making systems.

    Read More

  • Ethics and Its Complications in the Nursing Field

    2012 Words  | 5 Pages

    A nurse’s role in decision making is minimal depending on the place of work residence. Authors Shoni Davis, Vivian Schrader, and Marcia J. Belcheir’s opinion on Ethical decision making in nursing is “a process that involves making an ethical consideration of a patient care situation” (738-749). It seems like nurses can just cite immediately or take a hunch of what is wrong with a patient, but doctors are the ones that actually do the direct diagnosing. There have been many decision making processes and theories. Each has its own unique concepts and terminology, but all have similar components. It identifies good nur...

    Read More

  • Essay On Ethical Issues In Nursing

    1053 Words  | 3 Pages

    Planning included reaching out to other health organizations, objectives, and goals of health fair were established. The implementation includes getting volunteers, set up for the health fair. The evaluation of the process occurred throughout the implementation and changes were made as needed. The evaluation will be completed by gathering information from health booth to determine the number of participants. Review vendor and participant evaluations about the health fair including how they heard about the health fair, ratings of booths and suggestions for improvements. Record everything to determine changes. Reflection on past experiences and what worked and did not work.

    Read More

  • Test Ethics

    1790 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...ay arise between health care professionals, nurses, and the patient and family. Most often, when an ethical dilemma occurs, nurses most make a choice between the two equally unfavorable alternatives.

    Read More

  • Ethical Decision Making in Nursing

    1906 Words  | 4 Pages

    I chose to go into nursing because I had taken a sports medicine class in high school I enjoyed, and I thought I would be guaranteed a job graduating that had something to do with medicine. I can remember being so excited to learn how about illnesses and medications, and all the difference procedures done in the hospital. At the time I thought a nurse’s job was to do what the physicians said, and I expected set guidelines that would tell me what I was and wasn’t allowed to do. I had no idea that I was entering onto a career path involving so much complexity, and that the skills I had dreamed of learning were such a small part of nursing in comparison to the emotional, decision making, and critical thinking skills that a nursing career requires. Ethics in nursing was not something that had ever crossed my mind when I chose to take this path, however now ethics is something that I think about every day I am practicing, whether in clinical or theory courses. Ethical theories often come from the idea that because we are human we have the obligation to care about other’s best interests (Kozier et al., 2010), however in nursing ethical practice is not just a personal choice but a professional responsibility.

    Read More

  • The Ethical Dilemma Of Lane V. Candura (1978)

    1297 Words  | 3 Pages

    An advanced practice nurse (APN), will be faced with different types of ethical-legal dilemmas that in most cases will require the APN to make urgent decisions that will include both moral and ethical attention. Ethical dilemmas are conditions that have to scenarios course of actions to take that will contradict each other (Westrick, 2014, pp 258-265). The APN will have to choose between the two urgent decisions because each of these choices is deemed to be equally right and urgent. This is the reason that makes dealing with ethical-dilemmas very stressful for the APN and other experienced caregivers involved. It is very noteworthy that an APN has many medical responsibilities to provide care, and are also in the position to make urgent medical decisions that is independent because of being the person in authority at that time. Many of the existing ethical dilemmas will fall in with a variety of treatment withdrawal vs maintenance, the quality of life vs the quantity of life, euthanasia vs non-euthanasia, and pro-choice vs pro-life (Westrick, 2014b, pp.77-83).

    Read More

  • The Ethical Dilemma of Assisted Suicide for Nurses

    863 Words  | 2 Pages

    Since ethical dilemmas are not always easily answered through the use of The Code of Ethics, ethical decision-making models are effective tools that can assist nurses in dealing with ethical issues. Ethical decision-making models provide a framework for working through difficult choices. They seek to define the limits of what is morally acceptable and help clarify the guidelines for making those difficult decisions. Ethical decision making models assist nurses in analyzing situations by focusing on understanding the patient needs, need for responsiveness to circumstantial considerations, and recognizing the uniqueness of each situation.

    Read More

  • Ethical Dilemma In Nursing

    1096 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ethical dilemmas in nursing happen daily therefore nurses must treat all patients with respect and integrity for the patients’ best interest and health. Nurses must be the advocators for their clients, in this case being an advocate for the patient helped in the resolution because the nurse made sure to speak for the patient with mediation error and no affect on the patient’s health. The decisions nurses make can affect the patient’s health and quality of life, hence making the right choice is critical in nursing. The decision making can be based on the nurses’ values, experiences, ethical principles and theories.

    Read More

  • The Code Of Ethics And Moral Issues In Nursing

    1354 Words  | 3 Pages

    Since you examined the number of moral issues you will face in this profession, look through the code of ethics that you chose for this assignment and explain

    Read More

  • Ethical Decision Making of a Nurse

    2902 Words  | 6 Pages

    Nurses are face with numerous ethical dilemmas each day and if theses ethical situation are not handled in a professional and ethical manner there can be severe consequences for both the nurse and the patient. When nurses are face with theses ethical dilemmas, they have a decision to make. Therefore, what does the nurse do when decision-making involves ethical dilemmas? So, has a nursing student, I have chosen to put myself in the role of a health care provider such as a nurse. It was my first day of clinical rotation and the client that I was assigned to, was due for a bath. I was not comfortable giving the patient a bath a lone, so I ask for assistance from one of my colleagues. The client was a male who was shy and soft spoken. While undressing the client, I overheard a patient and her family arguing. She wants to refuses life support and the family says they want everything done. She is competent individual, who as cancer breast and had gone through many round of chemotherapy and radiation therapy and yet the cancer is still spreading. She is experiencing side effect from the treatment, like vomiting, loss of appetite, weakness and fatigue. The nurse who was in the room with the client and her family, just said he will give them some time to converse the situation, then come back later to see what they had agreed on.

    Read More

  • Law and Ethics in Nursing

    3244 Words  | 7 Pages

    In every nurse's career, he or she will face with legal and ethical dilemmas. One of the professional competencies for nursing states that nurses should "integrate knowledge of ethical and legal aspects of health care and professional values into nursing practice". It is important to know what types of dilemmas nurses may face

    Read More

  • Essay On Ethical And Ethical Issues In Nursing

    733 Words  | 2 Pages

    In conclusion, there are numerous legal and ethical issues apparent in the nursing practice. Nurses should study and be as informed as they can with ethics and legality within their field in order to ensure no mistakes occur. Ethical issues vary based on patient’s views, religion, and environment. Nurses are influenced by these same views, but most of the time they are not the same as the patients. As a nurse we must learn to put the care of our patients and their beliefs, rights, and wishes before our own personal

    Read More

More about Ethical Dilemmas In Nursing

Open Document