Reflection of Personal Student Experience:
Introduction:
This report examines the moral and ethical dilemmas encountered by nurses in practice. The healthcare environment is increasingly becoming complex and continuously presents nurses with moral dilemmas. This is especially true when the ability to do the right thing is stalled by inconsistent values and beliefs of other healthcare providers. Across the nursing field, different personalities prevail. The level of success in the nursing practice, and the drive to achieve the projected results, vary with personal attributes, and the inclination to take risks in conflicting situations. The paper will focus on the Dominant (D) personality, as well as, individual responds to the daily challenges faced in practice. Furthermore, it will focus on the methods used in dealing with different circumstances that involve various parties. The D personality character is associated with a results-oriented mindset, dynamic, critical, problem solver, and a risk taking inclination.
Ethical values and practices define the foundation of good nursing practice since nurses are expected to uphold positive moral actions. Morally responsible nursing practice encompasses the ability to recognize and address unethical practices, or respond to medical failures that hinder the delivery of quality patient care. Nurses may undergo moral distress resulting from their inability to deliver quality patient care, especially when financial constraints, long work hours, poor work conditions, or inadequate staffing prevails (Kim, 2015).
The limiting circumstances discussed above challenge the ability of the nurse to act morally and in turn, lead to moral distress. In this event, the principle of beneficence drives the nurse’s motivation to do good for others regardless of personal risk, as well as, other limiting factors within the profession. Additionally, specialty guidelines and professional code of ethics form the foundation to quality nursing practice; however, this is not sufficient (Kim, 2015). This is mainly because ethical cods may not address some of the moral issues and problems faced in practice. Subsequently, moral commitment to patients and coworkers is critical for any nurse. This implies that moral ideals such as love, faithfulness, fortitude, compassion, honesty, and sympathy must transcend individual duties and obligation.
Poor nursing behaviors that hinder and discourage a good practice environment:
Wicks (2006), presents the idea that nurses can nurture their ability to promote a good working environment by recognizing their ability to uphold ethical principles. This is achievable by remaining cognizant of potential risks, and motivating others to endure such risky circumstances (Wicks, 2006).
Considering the first case study where one elderly patient requires special medical care to aid her quick recovery, the present circumstances dictate that providing the much-needed special care is not possible. Based on doctor-patient allocation ratio, the hospital recommends one nurse for every four patients. A nurse who is committed to the wellbeing of the patient and sensitive to the needs of others around her would proceed and offer herself to attend to the medical demands of this patient. This is as opposed to limiting oneself to the hospital recommendations of one nurse to four patients.
Poor moral reasoning, however, negates the possibility of achieving moral courage that would allow the nurse to act with moral conviction, and with full focus of the present situation. Individuals with poor reasoning limits their conscience in deciding on the right course of action, but rely on group norms or their decisions are guided by self-interests (Wicks, 2006).
Good nursing behavior and personal leadership style:
Professional vigilance in nursing is the essence of caring in nursing practice and it depends on nursing knowledge and the propensity to undertaking the right course of action. Vigilance allows a nurse to identify significant cues in the patients, and promotes the delivery of the best treatment procedures that enhance healing and recovery. If the nurse is results oriented, they seek to identify and solve problems hindering the delivery of quality patient care (Wicks, 2006).
The result-oriented nurse boldly adopts a dynamic role of an administrator and leads a team of nurses into a rigorous diagnostic process. This mainly involves directing energy towards solving the problem despite the limiting factors. These series of actions perfectly define the roles of a Dominant personality, where the individual possesses a knack to problem solving, risk-taking, and high analytic skills. In this regard, the nurse critically observes their patients, gathering relevant data while conducting assessments. The results of the observation, help guide informed decision-making, in turn, improving the level of care provided to a patient (Ellis, 2013).
Responding to harassment, bullying, hearsay, and gossip in the practice environment:
In a situation where the nursing administrator learns of misused medical supplements, such as medicine doses, the leader must demonstrate integrity while responding to such reports. Before condemning the action or executing any disciplinary measure, the administrator must carry out comprehensive investigations in order to establish the basis of the claims (Persily, 2013). Depending on the evidence available, this will form the foundation for a reprimand or executing an appropriate disciplinary action.
It is prudent to keep a matter confidential until the establishment of the truth rather than reaching conclusions over hearsays and gossips. This is critical since it helps in ensuring informed decision-making. With the required evidence at hand, this would prompt the summoning of the errant individual before the judicial body or disciplinary body, and judiciously analyze the circumstances that propagated a misconduct. In the event that misconduct and wrongdoing are evident, any ensuing disciplinary action must be administered according to a defined disciplinary code. Lastly, the leader must then prove fair, impartial, and firm throughout the arbitration process (Persily, 2013).
The role of a nurse administrator:
The nursing administrator is entitled to the roles of ensuring that all individuals understand their obligations and duties, and providing the right working environment that espouses a strong work ethics. The administrator must then demonstrate commitment to the highest professional and personal standards that will motivate other nurses into following the same practice (Persily, 2013).
The leader must then remain vigilant to the set ethical standards and practices, where any divergence must be addressed on a timely basis and appropriately. To maintain a lifelong learning to this role, the administrator must take appropriate action against any individual who demonstrates dishonesty, untrustworthiness or any other misconduct that violates the set goals and objectives. Moreover, the administrator must frequently assess the efficacy of the established oversight procedures, and review them accordingly, while evaluating them against the set institutional goals and objectives.
Conclusion:
An excellent nursing administrator successfully navigates through the various problems and challenges in the healthcare field with the interests of the patients at heart, while motivating colleagues into adopting ethical work practices. Therefore, upholding commitment to patient’s demands and nurturing fortitude among your team are significant attributes in infusing moral courage against the prevalent institutional challenges (Kim, 2015).
Nurses who demonstrate moral courage and embrace it for the wellbeing of the patients often encounter adverse outcomes, such as oppositions and technical limitations. Consequently, these outcomes underscore the essence for all nurses in all positions and settings to commit themselves to back moral courage and a harmonious working environment.
References:
Ellis, P. (2013). Evidence-based practice in nursing. London: Sage/Learning Matters
Kim, H. S. (2015). The essence of nursing practice: Philosophy and perspective. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
Persily, C. A. (2013). Team leadership and partnering in nursing and health care. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Wicks, R. J. (2006). Overcoming secondary stress in medical and nursing practice: A guide to professional resilience and personal well-being. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
