What Are Ethical Issues In Nursing

Cherry and Jacob’s “Contemporary Nursing” (2017) defines ethics as “the science or study of moral values” (p. 155), but it is truly so much more than that. I believe that ethics encompasses the motives behind what we do and why we do it. Our personal ethics are guided by moral principles and values, but is this true for all people? What about those in the health care profession who are faced with difficult and ethical situations, sometimes daily? This paper will discuss the ethical implications concerning the administration of medications by health care professionals as well as autonomy, informed consent, and a trusting patient-nurse relationship.
When I walked into the clinical long-term care facility this past Thursday morning, I quickly performed my general and environmental survey. I noted the things that I saw, heard, and even smelled—yes, smelled--inside and around the building. Since that morning, my brain has been swarmed with questions, concerns, and issues surrounding the ethical and patient-centered care in long-term facilities. I chose the article, “The Covert Administration of Medications: Legal and Ethical Complexities for Health Care Professionals” by L. Martina Munden (2017) because I desire to further my understanding of autonomy, informed consent, and a trusting patient-nurse relationship so that I can apply my

The ethical dilemma of covert medication administration doesn’t come from the consent, or lack-of, itself, but of the decision made regardless of patient consent. Provided that there is no legal implication, the nurse must abide by the patient’s decision regardless of whether they agree with the patient’s decision or