Ethical Dilemma In Nursing Essay

Ethics provides a framework for making the best decision in any given situation where a dilemma arises. Nursing ethics has a very unique prospective to provide to respect and we will be exploring how language and principles can be used in everyday situation with complex decision required to be made. Every day nurses face ethical dilemmas. Ethical dilemmas allow nurses to learn more about themselves and help shape their morals and values. During my nursing journey as a health care professional, I took care of patients of different cultures and different beliefs. Some were very ill and because of my good care, they were able to recover faster than anticipated. On the other hand, there were other patients I took care of with hardships. All these

It seemed like he was an individual with an arrogant personality. He liked to make his own decision and he does not like to be told what to do by anyone. Due to his physical condition, he needed maximum assistance with daily care. He was unable to ambulate for his right leg injury. There we many times that he refused care and stated, “Leave me alone now!” after receiving pain medication.

Pain management was a major issue related to Mr. Jones health care situation. The standard definition of pain “whatever the experiencing the person says it is, existing whenever the experiencing person says it does” (McCaffery, 1968, p.95). But the ethical dilemma appears in nurse’s mind when it seems that the patient using and overusing without any significant subjective and objective signs and symptoms. The similar situation and conflict arise in my mind as a registered nurse while taking care of this

Most of the time, when asked by the nurse if he was in pain, he stated that, “I have abdominal and right leg pain ten out of ten, even after receiving the pain medication”. As a nurse I tried to explain to him about pain management. Most of the time he refused to listen. During assessment, prior to giving him the pain medication, I noticed his vital signs stable, no facial grimacing or discomfort noticed. Every time I entered the room, he would ask me “What time is my next pain medication due?” before even giving the initial dose. Then he would call the nurse ten minutes prior the medication was even due. When I entered the room, I would find out he was sleeping deeply without any signs of discomfort in his face. He would wake up and say that he had severe pain. At the same time I try to consider myself that pain is subjective. My nursing assessment and patient’s statement did not merge with each other. An ethical dilemma appears in my mind according to this