Interwovenou Ethical Decisions In Nursing

The issues of authority, specifically of the institution and the health care insurer come into play when the patient has a prolonged hospital stay. It is a common opinion of many, that patients are discharged “still sick” and far too early. Once the patient has stabilized, and is no longer in need of services that can only be provided in the acute care setting, it is determined by most insurance providers that the patient meets criteria for discharge. The pressures to keep costs down and the hospital not to lose reimbursement drives the physician to comply. The patient, discharged earlier than desired, can cause dissatisfaction for the patient and family and lead to readmission. Readmission leads to increased costs, increased risk to the patient and uncompensated care to the hospitals if the readmission occurs within 30 days. As nurses we have an obligation to our clients to provide the best possible care and do it safely and with respect and dignity. When outside influences interfere with these obligations we are faced with the decision of what to do now. The approach most widely prescribed to in nursing is utilitarianism or “the moral obligation to produce the most good. It is interwoven

Reflecting over the past eight weeks it is apparent to me how many decisions are made subconsciously that are of an ethical nature. Without even so much as a blink of an eye we make decisions that affect our patients in many different ways and can change the course of events. This class has allowed me to take a deeper dive into the choices I make and to examine my belief system in a way I had not previously. When I became a nurse it was an answer to a call to serve. As nurses we tread on sacred ground. We are present in some of the most sacred moments in our client’s lives. While the code of ethics uses the word obligation we cannot forget that it is also a privilege to attend to the needs of our