In the nursing profession, ethical dilemmas arise when certain factors prevent nurses from doing what they consider the right thing. One of these dilemmas is the battle of beliefs. This dilemma arises when empirical knowledge in the medical and nursing profession is contrasted with cultural values and religious beliefs. Certain cultures and religions forbid modern medical practices such as blood transfusion, organ transplant, surgery and even medicines. For example, blood transfusion is strongly abhorred by members of the Jehovah Witness sect. Cases have been reported where patients in intensive care unit reject lifesaving procedures merely because of religious believes. In that case, nurses find themselves in acute ethical dilemmas (Ferngren, 2009).
According to Taylor, Lillis, LeMone and Lynn (2011), nurses are bound by the professional and moral obligation to devote themselves fully to ensuring the well-being of the patient. This means nurses must commit themselves to the care of the patient by living up to the standards of their professions regardless of patients’ belief. However, a nurse’s attempt to explain the benefits of certain medical procedures weighed against the benefits of opting out can result in infringement of patient’s freedom of choice. Nurses are trained and aware of the best courses of clinical action when dealing with patients. However, it turns out that retrogressive religious and cultural beliefs are a leading cause of preventable deaths and suffering among patients who harbor these beliefs.
The second major ethical dilemma in the nursing profession is the issue of right to life. The main issue in this dilemma is whether nurses should support abortion, euthanasia and other life ending procedures. This dilemma has given rise to two opposing views in the nursing professions: the pro-life versus pro-choice argument. This dilemma affects nurses in different aspects of their professions. Many of the positions that nurses take in this dilemma are influenced by their personal values and beliefs. A nurse who is pro-life will find it difficult to offer the necessary attention to a patient who deserves an abortion. Similarly, pro-choice nurses find it hard to handle pregnancy cases even if where a patient is unable to make a choice. If nurses behave unethically with regard to this dilemma, they can be sued for abetting end of life, which is a crime in many countries (Taylor, Lillis, LeMone & Lynn, 2011).
References
Ferngren, G. B. (2009). Medicine & health care in early Christianity. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Taylor, C. R., Lillis, C., LeMone, P., Lynn, P. (2011). Fundamentals of nursing: The art and science of nursing care. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
