The Importance Of Human Rights In Nursing

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Nursing is one of the most hands-on profession and nurses are considered to be the front-liner in healthcare. Every nurses must know that the client’s health and well-being must put to be the utmost priority. This can also be done through considering and observing the universal human rights of people. By this, client’s dignity and worth will be safeguard, thus leading to a much better health outcome. According to Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, the client’s right includes recognising, respecting and, where possible, protecting the wide range of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights that apply to all human beings (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2008).
In the case of Mrs. Xerrie, a 93-year old woman, the …show more content…

According to the works of Beauchamp et. Al, issues on nonmaleficence and beneficence can also be served as a basis for withholding diagnosis. Again, this will leave a greater responsibility for the nurses and doctor to cautiously identify the need for disclosure.
However, in a book written by Katz entitled, “The Silent World of Doctor and Patient”, the author argued that excluding the patient from decision making and information giving process is also a form of insult to her dignity and autonomy. It suggests that healthcare professionals should evaluate the situation and the preference of the patient on receiving details before completely disregarding the patient’s desire to be involved in her care.
Knowing that Mrs. Xerrie has a limited English speaking skills and she constantly ask about her dying or not, it could depict that she expresses great desire to know more about her condition and it is not something to be addressed minimally. As a nurse, we should give adequate information and teaching in a gradual and concise manner, just enough to give the client a satisfaction and also just enough and not too heavy for the patient to absorb. The nurse might be held liable when disclosing too much information to the patient had brought a detrimental effect given that the family has initially and has specifically asked for it not to be

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