...PROBLEM Arty Jay is a student nurse faced with a situation where he had given a medication to a patient with his instructor's supervision and had later on realized that the medication had already been discontinued. No harm was done to the patient . Arty Jay however is battling whether to tell his instructor of what had happened or not. His conscience has been tormenting him but on the other hand he is also scarred of what his teacher would think about his carelessness. According to a case study done on nurse reporting regarding medication errors, nurses are often aware that medication errors were underreported. The findings also signify that “fear had the greatest influence on nurses’ reporting behaviors.” (Covell and Ritchie page, 293). Furthermore, the study shows that majority of the RN nurses who participated, would not report a medication error has occurred if no harm was caused to the patient however they know that it really is not the right and best option. Arty Jay is now faced with an ethical dilemma. Should he just keep it to himself and deal with his own guilt? On the other hand should he still report the incident even though nothing bad happened to the patient knowing that he will be reprimanded by his instructor? If he decides to admit to his fault, how should he go about it? ETHICAL PRINCIPLES INVOLVED 1. Justice – is to be fair; to give patients the service they deserve. To adhere to justice Arty Jay is morally obligated to act based on the patient's best...
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...There are many different legal aspects of nursing. The legal aspects are there to protect the patients. Nurses need to know these because it can put their license in jeopardy, fines, jail time or even worse, harm to a patient. Not only could you be in trouble because you did something, you could also be in trouble for not doing something. When working with patients that are sick or injured the last thing you need is to let something else other then there sickness or injury interfere with their healing or comfort level. By choosing to become a nurse you accept the laws and responsibilities that come along with it. As a Licensed Vocational Nurse the combination of legal principles, established laws, moral standards and ethical principles guide your practice of nursing. As a nurse you need to know these and how they affect the practice. There will be a lot ethical decisions that you will have to make during your career. By knowing the laws, this will help with the decisions you have to deal with. Laws prescribe proper behavior in society; they sanction acceptable behavior and prohibit unacceptable behavior. It’s important for you to know the basic’s of the legal system, which will help protect you from wrong doing. There are two different types of laws. Civil and criminal. Civil laws are laws that violates a person’s rights, conduct at issue is detrimental to the individual and involves an offense that is against an individual. Civil laws purpose is to right...
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...What considerations do you have regarding the missed medication and how your peer handled it? The nursing code of ethics was established to serve as a nonnegotiable standard and guide for the duties and responsibilities of nurses as well as their commitment to society (Importance of Ethics in Nursing, 2018). As students who are working under a licensed instructor we too should be held accountable to these standards in order to protect and provide the best care possible for patients. It is in my opinion that in this situation the friend failed this nursing duty. The issue of forgetting to give the medication is concerning by itself, but what’s even more troubling is the fact the friend did not inform the instructor. According to the second provision of nursing code of ethics, it states “The...
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...ADRESSING PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOUR: THE ACT OF WHISTLE BLOWING Healthcare professionals face various challenges in their workplace. One such challenge is dealing with criminal behavior which one has witnessed or has knowledge of. An ethical issue of human rights has to be keenly looked upon when addressing this; if one has to report such incidences yet the involved party is his or her colleague or friend. This situation could prove challenging but by adhering to and evaluating various bioethical principles in conjunction with one’s own beliefs, professionalism and the organization’s set standards, a solution to such scenarios can occur. This assay argument will base on ethical principles of primary loyalty to the patient. Often individual are identified as the source of the ethical failure. However, one the most important aspects of creating ethical behavior are the culture of environment of the organization in which individuals functions. Managerial ethics assume a position of profound consequences here in the form of organization policies and process, culture espoused vs. values, leadership behavior, rewards punishment, social networks and treatment of employees. As much as organizational policies and process and procedures dictate actions that may have ethical content. The responsibility cannot be “farmed out” to others in order to place the blame outside the organization when the failure occurs. The code of ethics incorporates standards of ethical behavior, particularly...
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...Personal Ethics Grand Canyon University NRS-437V Personal Ethics According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), the nursing code of ethics provides a framework for nurses to use as a guide to help them in ethical decision making (ANA, 2001, p. 3). There are many provisions to the nursing code of ethics, but the intent of the document remains consistent. Our own ethics, morals and values contribute to our personal philosophy of nursing and shape our nursing practice. There are often conflicts of a nurses own values, morals and ethics causing dilemmas within her, but referring back to the code of ethics can help guide her like a compass on the correct path for each patient. Morals are what dictate right and wrong to a person, including nurses. As a nurse, doing anything to harm a patient is immoral. Keeping that in mind when we talk to a patient or family, we do not want to cause any harm, be it physical, emotional or psychological. It is in this way that our moral compass guides our actions and words. As with morals, values also contribute to our decisions and philosophy of nursing. Moral values refer to thoughts and ideas which we hold dear, have meaning to us, or describe beliefs that guide us to make decisions in our person and professional lives. When we run into a dilemma with our morals, this is where ethics steps in. Ethics involves questioning our morals, and moral decisions in life and in our nursing practice. This questioning of moral decisions causes...
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...Introduction As professional nurses we often find ourselves faced with questions of ethics and legality when it comes to the care of patients. It is here that we find ourselves in the conundrum that is called nursing judgment. ”The basic level of problems concerns the dilemmas which arise for individual professional when they sense that there is a conflict between their private moral convictions and what they believe is required of them…” (Thompson, 1976). Nursing judgment is hard when so many factors are present, from the patient’s viewpoint, to the family/caregiver to the physicians ultimately in charge of the care. Many complicated scenarios can occur for the RN at any time and they must base their decisions on the ethical and legal guidelines that govern the nursing profession. Body In the world of nursing we are faced with ethical decisions on a regular basis but it is how we handle these situations that makes the difference. As a nurse we are bound by the guidelines of the code of ethics. The ANA (2014) states the “Code of Ethics for Nurses is a succinct statement of the ethical obligations and duties of every individual who enters the nursing profession. “It is the profession’s nonnegotiable ethical standard” and “an expression of nursing’s own understanding of its commitment to society”. In the case of the patient admitted with a hemorrhagic stroke whose family disagreed on the plan of care, the code of ethics outlines that the patient is our primary concern. When...
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... Identify the problem 1. Does Ginty have a capacity to refuse or withdraw her treatment and does the nurse, Sharna, have a duty of care towards Ginty and her decision to refuse treatment which would prolong her life. 2. Does Sharna have an obligation to report suspected child abuse to protect Ginty’s children? Who is involved? • Ginty McTaggart (patient) • Nurse Sharna • Ginty’s cousin Garry • Ginty’s daughters • Medical team 2. Evaluate the Issue Ethical Principles Autonomy –Autonomy in the health framework is described as ‘every human being of adult, more than 18 years and with a capacity has a right to determine what should be done with their own body’ (Schloendorff v Society of New York...
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...part of the profession. There are many tools that nurses can use including the America Nursing Association (ANA) Code of Ethics. Nursing staff should listen to patient’s personal and societal values, and know the legal aspects and responsibilities that relate to this profession. In the first case study, a family has had a tragedy where the mother has had a hemorrhagic stroke, and her outcome looks bleak. As a nurse, first the first responsibility is to be empathetic during these tragic times. Then nursing staff needs to help the family unite on whatever their decision. Provision two of the ANA code of ethics state “The nurse's primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group, or community.” (Silva, Sorrell, 2006). The family, if they have no medical background, has no clue the avenues of care the facility can take, so they need to be informed. The Code of Ethics in provision three says, “The nurse promotes, advocates for, and strives to protect the health, safety, and rights of the patient.” (Silva, Sorrell, 2006). Many different personal values from different members of the family that need to be addressed so the decision can be made united. When faced with tough decisions, both our personal views and societies outlook can affect the decision making process. Our personal feelings or beliefs can cloud our mind from the big picture. Our heart may say, “Do the surgery!” but we may forget to look at what the quality of life afterward would be like. Society...
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...Case 1: A doctor has a disease that interferes with his ability to treat patients. What is the main ethical issue/ dilemma? The main ethical issue is that the doctor in question is having partial seizures and has at least one during an operation. The doctor meets with a fellow doctor about the condition. The condition that causes partial seizures is treatable, but the second doctor is faced with the dilemma of whether to inform the first doctors work place or not. What decision would you make? I understand that there is supposes to be a level of privacy between a doctor and his or her patients, but in cases such as this it is probably better that the doctor informs the staff. So yes given the doctors position I would feel obligated to inform...
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...both of these ethical principles beneficence and non-maleficence are strengthened by state nursing practice acts, which mandate that nurses are legally obligated to safeguard patients and the profession (Bjarnason &ump; LaSala, 2011). Furthermore, it is with great purpose that we discuss the two principles beneficence and non-maleficence and their importance to the nursing profession. The principle of beneficence is concerned with a moral obligation to act for the benefits of others (Kennedy, 2004). Additionally, beneficence is the principle consisting of deeds such as mercy, kindness, and charity (Rich, 2008). There are other forms of beneficence including altruism, love, and humanity (Beauchamp &ump; Childress, 2009). We use beneficence in order to cover beneficent actions more broadly, so that it includes all forms of action to benefit other persons (Beauchamp &ump; Childress, 2009). Overall, beneficence implies that an individual takes action to do good by benefiting others and facilitating their well-being. Beneficence also requires that benefits are balanced against risks and costs (Kennedy, 2004). In order for a person to “do good”, they must also consider the values of individual in question (Bjarnason &ump; LaSala, 2011). Health care professionals have a duty to exercise beneficence towards their patients. Nurses have a more stringent obligation to act...
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...this information with other contexts. Maintaining the confidentiality of the patient’s information is the responsibility of everyone involved in health care. Sometimes many groups have rightful reasons for seeking access to the patient data which includes law and enforcement agencies, medical professionals, policy makers, researchers etc. There are also certain situations where a health care provider has to breach the confidentiality for the best interest to save a young person or to avoid a serious harm. This paper explores the situations which are ok to break the confidentially with the help of the article “Bioethics on NBC’s ER: Betraying Trust of Providing Good Care? Ethical Implications of a Breach of Confidentiality All medical professionals are required to maintain the strict confidentiality of patient’s health care data. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 protect the security and privacy. Breach of confidentiality is unethical or illegal according to Hippocratic oath and American Medical Association’s (AMA) of code of Ethics. According to Purtilo and Doherty (2011, p. 202), “The idea of confidentiality in health care has ancient roots as a basic building block of trust between health professionals and patients. For instance, the Hippocratic Oath, written in the fourth century bc, says, “And whatsoever I shall see or hear in the course of my profession, as well as outside...
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...would not do in that situation., such as exercised by other reputable physicians treating similar clients in performing a legally recognize duty resulting in foreseeable harm, injury or loss to another. The difference between the two is the measure of the standard of care. Gross negligence is when the reckless provision of healthcare is clearly below the standards of accepted medical practice, either without care for the potential consequences or willful disregard for the rights and or well being of those for whom the duty is being performed. Malpractice refer to negligence or misconduct and is the breech by a member of a profession of a standard of care,. The failure to me standard of care or standard of conduct that is recognized by a profession reaches the level of malpractice, when a patient is injure or damaged because of error. After the 1970’s the number of malpractice suits filed against professionals greatly increase. Most malpractice suits involve doctors, especially surgeons, and other specialist who perform medical procedures with a high degree of risk to their patient. Malpractice is a type of negligence. Malpractice may be, generally, defined as a gross departure from an accepted standard of practice. In other words, the courts should look at the performance of the defendant physician compared to what a reasonably prudent professional would do in a similar circumstance (Journal of Medical Marketing, 2007, p.2) In the case of Mr....
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...Running head: PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY Patient Confidentiality: Ethical Implications to Nursing Practice Grand Canyon University: NRS 437 April 3, 2012 Patient Confidentiality: Ethical Implications to Nursing Practice Patient confidentiality is a fundamental practice in healthcare and it is integral part of healthcare ethical standards (Purtilo & Dougherty, 2010). According to the American Nurses Association (ANA) code of ethics “the nurse has a duty to maintain confidentiality of all patient information”(Nursingworld, p.6). When confidentiality is breached the nurse may jeopardize the wellbeing and safety of a patient. There are some exceptions to this duty such as a greater need to protect the patient and other parties or mandatory laws that protect public health (Nursingworld, 2012). The situation presented in the article Betraying Trust or Providing Good Care? When is it okay to break confidentiality? Creates an ethical dilemma for the fictional nurse caring for a teenage patient diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease as well as related cervical cancer. The nurse eventually notifies parents because of the need for further treatment that will require consent of parents. She also notifies the teenage patient’s school because of a concern for public health. Several valid concerns are presented in this article. First, when a patient’s confidentiality is betrayed that patient may not give full information to the healthcare team in the future...
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...CASE STUDY Included in section 1300.360 RN Scope of Practice, Title 68 Professions and Occupations of the Nurse Practice Act it clearly states that nurses will advocate for patients. What this means to me is that if a patient is not of sound mental or physical state, that the nurse will act as the patients advocate in any situation that could or would affect the patient’s medical status. In this case in particular, the patient has an “advanced directive” in place that states his medical wishes. The patient also has a diagnosis of a mild mental retardation condition. The case study does not elaborate on the extent to the mental retardation; however he does have the legal advanced directive. Title 68: Professions and Occupations, Section 1300.350: Standards or Professional Conduct for Registered Professional Nurses in Illinois states several items. In reference to this case study, the most important would be to “report unsafe, unethical or illegal health care practice or conditions to appropriate authorities”. In my opinion, Dr. G is overriding the wishes the patient has listed in his “advanced directive”. What good is a document of this nature if a physician can make the choice to override it at anytime? The patient also has a “durable power of attorney”, which is Mr. B. This was also overridden by Dr. G. Both of these instances are unethical and could be challenged in a court of law. This would be a hard situation to be faced with. If I were placed in this situation...
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...Our democracy should not legalize active voluntary, active nonvoluntary euthanasia, or physician-assisted suicide, but should be given as a choice to patients in some extreme cases. Euthanasia is defined as the painless killing of a patient suffering from a terminal illness, disability, or coma. Euthanasia has sparked a strong debate in society, and continues to be controversial on whether it should be practiced at all. Euthanasia attacks the basis of many individual’s ethical beliefs and causes many to fear that how individuals view life will deteriorate in life. The debate also disrupts the world of physicians and their morals on if they want to be given the power to take a patient’s life. But the most salient person to make the decision is the patient. The patient has their own beliefs and choices on how they would like to leave this world. However, because of the harm that could be done to the value of human life and the vulnerable of society, the practice of either euthanasia or physician-assisted...
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