Assignment Discussion - Professional Ethics: What Would You Do?
Discussion Topic:
Today's health care environment gives nurses many reasons to be conflicted. Genetic testing, abortion, and end of life care are just some of the areas in which nurses may face ethical dilemmas. Consider how you feel about the following issues:
- Respecting the wishes of a suffering client that he is permitted to die with dignity,
- Respecting the health surrogate's wishes regarding termination of life support,
- Or even observing another nurse take two tablets of oxycodone as ordered but keeping one for herself.
Then give an example of an ethical dilemma you may have confronted in your own clinical experience or workplace. How did you come to the decision you made? What feelings did you experience while coming to that choice? (If you have not yet faced an ethical dilemma, research one and comment on it, answering the same questions.)
Please make an initial post by midweek, and respond to at least two other students' posts with substantial details that demonstrate an understanding of the concepts, and critical thinking. Remember that your posts must exhibit appropriate writing mechanics including using proper language, cordiality, and proper grammar and punctuation. If you refer to any outside sources or reference materials be sure to provide proper attribution and/or citation.
Kar Discussion:
Observing another nurse take two tablets of oxycodone as ordered but keeping one for herself would raise serious ethical concerns. I believe it is essential for healthcare professionals to uphold the highest standards of integrity and prioritize patient well-being above all else. Taking medication intended for a patient for personal use not only violates ethical principals but also breaches legal and professional standards. It is crucial to address such behavior promptly through appropriate channels to safeguard patient safety and maintain trust in the healthcare profession.
Although I have not experienced an ethical dilemma myself, an example of an ethical dilemma in nursing I have found could be when a patient refuses a blood transfusion due to religious beliefs, like a patient who is Jehovahs Witness, but the nurse knows that the transfusion is necessary to save the patient's life. In this case, the nurse must decide between respecting the patients beliefs and their right to autonomy, or acting in the interest of saving the patient's life, which may conflict with the patient religious convictions. "Patient rejection of blood or blood product transfusions (even when faced with death) may create an ethical dilemma for healthcare providers, but a mentally competent individual has an absolute moral and legal right to refuse or reject a transfusion. Exceptions include diminished decision-making capacity, a legal intervention, or a legal document that mandates treatment. Most Jehovah's Witnesses will decline transfusion of whole blood products, but if possible, discuss the specifics alone with the patient. Some will accept a blood transfusion privately". (Senior, 2024). It would all come down to the nurse having open communication with the patient and deciding whether refusing the blood transfusion is something the patient truly wants to follow through with, or if there are other options available.
References:
Senior, R. (2024, May 20). When blood transfusion isn't an option. American Nurse.
Lee Discussion:
I will never forget this dilemma because similar ones are talked about in class, and it is still questionable as to what the correct answer is. I was taking a pediatric patient to another hospital to get a life-sustaining surgery. My patient had low blood pressure, and we were getting close to the maximum dose ranges on our pressers. We carry blood that would have helped our situation immensely, but we could not give it because, you guessed it, the family was Jehovah's Witnesses. I remember this one because we did get permission to use blood as a last resort from the family, but they stressed their feelings. This is usually not the norm in JW's. The dilemma came when we were in transport, and my partner thought to give the blood to increase the survival odds of the child and to keep his MAP pressures in a more manageable range. I could have easily given the blood and just stated we needed to. We don't take anyone with us during flight so the family would not have known. It would have also been better for the child so we could ween him off of the other pressers. However, we also knew how strongly the family didn't want blood given, and we still had options. We decided to hold off, and the transport was successful. I vehemently disagree with JW's "policies, and I think community laws need to be changed to prevent allowing children to suffer because of their family religion.
In this situation, I agree with my decision, but I get frustrated when I talk about similar situations. I think we have to always follow the client's wishes and needs even if we don't agree.