Nurses are often faced with unique ethical issues in the workplace. These can include patient preference conflicts, cultural or personal beliefs vs. medical necessity, and even disagreements between nursing and other healthcare providers.
In addition, nurses must adhere to the formal Code of Ethics for Nurses. Ethical awareness involves recognizing that some nursing actions could fail to meet the goals of this code, violating NURS FPX 6218 Assesment 3 Planning for Community principles.
Case Study 1
Nurses often find themselves faced with ethical issues when they are present for pivotal moments in patients’ lives. These situations can be difficult to navigate because the medically necessary treatment may conflict with a patient’s personal morals and religious beliefs.
Professional boundaries are vital to nurses’ ethics and include avoiding after-hours phone calls from or to the patient of a personal nature, giving or receiving gifts, flirting and keeping secrets (Finkelman & Kenner, 2013). Ms. Lee’s dilemma illustrates the difficulty of balancing these values when she is confronted with an ethical issue that directly affects her patient’s life.
The case study approach is a useful tool to employ when nurses need to gain a more in-depth appreciation of a particular issue or event within its natural real-life context. By applying an ethical decision-making model to the presented case, Ms. Lee is able to find other solutions for her ethical dilemma, apart from keeping Mr. Clark’s confession a secret, that can also benefit NURS FPX 4040 Assessment 1 Nursing Informatics in Health Care.
Case Study 2
Nurses often find themselves in situations that make them question their own values. These situations are known as ethical dilemmas. They occur when two courses of action are both right but one negatively impacts the other. Nurses must be able to identify these situations and decide how they should proceed.
One example of an ethical dilemma involves a physician’s orders for medication. Nurses should follow physicians’ orders unless they believe the nurs fpx 4050 assessment 1 coordination patient centered care order is inappropriate or unsafe. However, nurses also have an obligation to verify all medications to ensure the patient receives the correct dose and route of administration.
Another example of an ethical dilemma involves end-of-life care. A nurse, Ms. Lee, finds herself in a situation where she must disclose a patient’s advance directive to her colleagues but cannot tell the patient because he wishes to keep his decision secret. This situation highlights the tension between beneficence and nonmaleficence, two nursing principles that nurses must abide by.
Case Study 3
Nurses often face ethical dilemmas when the science behind patient care contradicts with a patient’s personal beliefs. One example is when a patient refuses to undergo a procedure because of their religious beliefs. This situation is a clear violation of the nurse’s code of ethics.
Another ethical dilemma occurs when a nurse is unsure whether a physician’s medical order is appropriate or safe for the patient. It is important for nurses to question any medical orders that they are unsure of. This can prevent a mishap that could endanger Nurs fpx 6026 assessment 3 letter to the editor population health policy.
Ultimately, nurses must be able to separate the law and their professional ethics when it comes to dealing with ethical issues. Failing to do so can result in a reprimand from a supervisor or even lose their job. In the long run, this is far worse than simply following a doctor’s order. By knowing how to handle ethical issues, nurses can feel more confident about their practice.
Case Study 4
As nurses, we often encounter ethical issues regarding patient confidentiality. One of the most common is when a patient’s wishes contradict what may be medically necessary to promote health or sustain life. For example, a patient’s family members may want staff to exhaust all efforts to save their loved one even though the patient has stated that they would rather die.
Another common ethical issue is the nurse’s responsibility to verify a physician’s orders. In this case, the nurse must decide whether to follow the order or speak up and question it. In either case, she could face professional repercussions or accusations of insubordination.
The case presented highlights the importance of understanding nursing ethics and principles such as beneficence and nonmaleficence. By reflecting on these concepts, the nurse finds tools for addressing this dilemma. Keeping professional boundaries intact is important for ensuring that patients receive the best care possible. This means avoiding after-hour phone calls and gifts of a personal nature, flirting, or becoming overly involved in a patient’s business or MHA FPX 5010 Assessment 1 Current Environmental Analysis.