The movie Miss Evers Boys throws light on some real ethical situations a nursing professional might confront in her/his lifetime. In this movie, nurse Eunice Evers (starred Alfre Woodard) is lured into an unethical experiment called the Tuskegee Syphilis Research without understanding the researchers’ real motives. The researchers convince her that better treatment for Syphilis would be made available to the subjects, but that is not the real case (Feldshuh, 1995, p. 5). She is asked to bring African American subjects who are identified VD positive for the experiments. They are not informed that during the experiments, no actual treatment would be administered to them. The most unethical fact is that even penicillin is not administered to save their lives. However, Caleb Humphries (Laurence Fishburne), one among the subjects, escapes the VD only due to the fact that he received antibiotic. This happens as he is screened to the military for the World War II. Miss Evers deserves sympathy despite the fact that she supported the unethical research through selecting and retaining subjects (“Miss Evers Boys”). This movie is an excellent source of vital information for such audience as nurses, medical workers, doctors, students and the general public those are interested in knowing ethical issues pertaining in medical field.
Nursing is a profession highly dependent on ethical values with regard to commitment to the well-being of people through providing competent and compassionate care. It is a helping and independent profession that contributes to the health of people. The essential focus of professional nursing should be cure and recovery through care and co-ordination. To cure is to assist patients in understanding their physical problems and to help them cope with treatment processes for fast recovery. According to Basavanthappa (2007, p. 64), “it is the unique contribution of nursing to help the individual to be independent of assistance as soon as possible”. A nurse should always be aware of her duties and always remember that her decisions affect human life. To meet ethical norms in dangerous situations they should be truthful to the patients concerned. Nursing professionals should always remember that they are highly accountable to their patients. A nurse should always be dedicated to her clients both ethically and legally.
References
Basavanthappa,B. T. (2007). Nursing Theories. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Publishers
Feldshuh, D. (1995). Miss Evers Boys. US: Dramatists Play Service Inc.
Miss Evers Boys. Film. Youtube video. Retrieved from: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nHP1p9bRQ3Q
