Essays on Nursing Ethics

End-of-life care refers to the provision of care to patients with incurable terminal illnesses and patients who are in a permanent vegetative state, and that type of care is one of the most commonly debated ethical issues in contemporary health care for two reasons. First, because of the development and advancement of medical techniques and technologies, physicians and nurses are now able to prolong the patients’ lives, but those interventions do not always improve the patients’ quality of life or maintain their human dignity (Cherry & Jacob, 2016). Second, the human population is aging, so the prevalence of terminal illnesses ...

Abstract

Introduction Nursing practice recognizes altruism through various interventions such as understanding different beliefs and cultures, advocating for vulnerable patients, taking risks on behalf of other workers and patients and mentoring other professionals. In altruism, interpersonal factors such as respect and compassion are considered virtues that cultivate a caring attitude towards others. As such, some people feel that altruism usually places heavy demands on the nurses’ self-sacrifice, thus overlooking the challenges that these nurses face while in practice especially with acute-care settings and psychiatric situations. In this regard, it means that master’s prepared nurses have a role to play ...

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a sensitive topic in the society. This is because although it is one of the most common situations, it is also one of the least discussed or reported to authorities (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2007). This phenomenon is based on the negative perceptions of those who undergo IPV under the judgmental eye of society, associating this unfortunate situation to their physical or moral standing (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2007). Even though IPV rates have drastically reduced in the present society, these demeaning perceptions have still maintained their presence among those affected by IPV, for both genders. Nurses are ...

Euthanasia: For

Euthanasia has been a heated debate topic for several years. It appears that just recently, people have begun warming up to the idea of ending one’s life before the physical, psychological, and emotional toll of illness and age become too much for one to bear. We should be inclined to agree with these individual for several reasons. We do not get to decide when and if we are born, but perhaps we should have a say in when we die. Moreover, we are the only ones who can decide when life has become unbearable, and should be granted ...

Pediatric Ethical Dilemma

Ethics is considered as the study of rational reasoning, yet people may have a different perception of ethical behavior depending on a given circumstance. In McCarthy and Gastmans (2015) article entitled Moral Distress, ethics are defined as the structure of codes and standards that are commonly observed by a group of people. While these systems are not part of the legal structure, they nevertheless set the norm in determining right from wrong in a given situation. In the nursing practice, the ethical concept refers to the delivery of correct and individualized care which are helpful in achieving quality patient ...

The question of nursing ethic is one of the most important when we reflect on the role of this profession in our lives. The behavior of nurses, their observance of professional and moral principles, and the display of their ethics in practice has an obvious influence on other people’s lives. Any nurse regardless of area of practice can face various ethical dilemmas every day. In this essay I would like to show why I decided to dedicate myself to this profession, and share my opinion on why it is necessary for me to have a clear understanding of ...

My philosophy of nursing is centered on giving a healing touch, driven by empathy, to my patients and their family members. Obviously, a genuine interest in my patients always guides me to give first priority to their welfare, regardless of my pressing personal problems or the compensation I receive from my employer. Secondly, I believe being trustworthy to my patients is the best way I can serve them; my trustworthiness in turn will help my patients and their dear ones to take the best possible decisions in the process of recovering from their illness. Therefore, as a nurse practitioner, ...

Beth, an 86 year old patient residing in a nursing home shows all signs of alert and with no indication of dementia. Due to her old age and the associated frailties, Beth has had unsteady movement and has a positive history of falls. Despite the many efforts to manage Beth and prevent the occurrence of such falls, the nurses have had a hard time dealing with Beth due to aggression and resistance to utilize the available measures that the care team considers pertinent to her safety. Beth is cognitive and coordination are considered as exposure factors that could lead ...

The ethical dilemma

At any point in the care process, especially in matters that involve severity of illnesses and end-of-life care, patients, families and nurses may find themselves at a point where they cannot agree on matters that relate to the ethics and morality of the processes and procedures to be accorded. In the contemporary healthcare settings, patients and families are entitled to culturally competent care which is characterized by the consideration of the beliefs, values, perceptions and faith (Gastmans, 2013). These are considered to influence the spirituality, healing and restoration which is a critical element of the holistic healing process that ...

Career Research Paper: An Annotated Bibliography (Phase 2)

Canadian Family Practice Nurses Association (n.d.). Sample Role Description for Registered Nurse in Family Practice. Canadian Family Practice Nurses Association. Retrieved from https://nurseone.ca/~/media/nurseone/files/en/sample_role_description_e.pdf?la=en This document presents an in-depth view of the role description that is to be expected in nurses in family practice. It gives general and specific overviews in matter regarding health assessment, health care management, health education, health promotion, and professional role of nurses. However, it is limited to nurses who are taking family practice and thus is not applicable to the job description of nursing in general. Computer Programmer Salary (n.d.). Payscale. Retrieved from http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Computer_Programmer/Salary ...

The word ‘ethics’ refers to a system of moral codes and principles that groups of people or communities observe (McCarthy and Gastmans, 2015). Ethics are not components of the legal system, but they establish actions that are right or wrong in specific situations. Furthermore, they guide people’s day-to-day conducts. In nursing practice, there are rules and regulations that professional bodies establish as well as those that are not formally established (Musto, Rodney, and Vanderheide, 2015). The American Nursing Association (ANA), established in 1897, is a body in charge of laying down formal laws and informal ethical principles that ...

My Nursing Ethics

Values refer to the defined principles that guide different people on the way of life. Values differ depending on the cultures and the different religions to which people associate with. Values define that which is acceptable and that which is not and draws lines between the good and the bad. Values set the standards for various types of organizations, be it religious or business. For example, integrity, honesty, compassion and respect are among some of the many values (Murray, 2010). Morals, on the other hand, can be defined as a set of values which are gained from a higher authority, rather ...

Within practical contexts, ethical conduct of employees is as important in nursing as it is within any other professional field. Nurses are required by occupational guidelines to provide care towards patients in the most ethical manner possible. The basic precepts of nursing ethics emphasize that nurses should not employ actions that will inflict either physical or emotional injury to their patients. This means that employees within a healthcare facility, which include the nursing fraternity, are obliged to uphold high level of standards in creating sustainable relationships with patients. According to Perron and Pronsati (2012), those high standards should be guided ...

In my work environment, there is a moral and ethical issue that has come up in the past few weeks that I feel I must intervene in as a moral agent. We have a new nurse in our practice, one who is relatively inexperienced and who is effectively straight out of nursing school. Because of her inexperience, she often receives a bit of verbal abuse from other nurses, who are frustrated at her mistakes and errors. This has resulted in the new nurse having a difficult time adjusting to her practice, having little positive experience to help her hone better behaviors, and is resulting ...

Abstract

Working in a multicultural health care setting calls for a workforce that clearly understand the ethical and legal considerations that exist in relation to culture, beliefs, background, as well as knowledge. While physician and nurses have the upper hand in ensuring quality health care as well as life sustaining measures, the patient holds a very critical role in dictating the care procedures that they prefer. Bioethics studies have had differing approaches to the issue of making informed consent to health care procedures. However, there is one thing that remains untouched. The greatest responsibility is the life if the patients and the satisfaction ...

Personal Ethics

Personal, cultural, and spiritual values contribute to your worldview and philosophy of nursing and their influence on my nursing practice Nursing provides an opportunity to help other people who are in need or are sick. An individual’s dedication to work mainly depends on their level of passion. A dedicated individual can be committed to providing the best quality service. This then translates to performing duties ethically. Performing duties ethically ensures that the safety and life of a patient is not placed at risk due to negligence or incompetence. Being ethical also implies that duties are performed excellently even ...

There is a dilemma of who should go back to the burning ward and help those patients in help. There are five people on top of the roof who have escaped the fire; four of them are able-bodied as one carries with her sick child. They have to make a decision of who will remain on top of the building and who will go down the burning ward and save the remaining victims. According to the theory of consequentialism, which aims at maximizing the greater good for the largest number of people (Fairchild, 2010); Margaret the Registered Nurse, had made ...

Treating a cancer patient is a complicated task as some cancer patients often present with signs and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and in worse case scenarios, episodes of violent reactions . In this case, we are talking about a 12-year old boy with cancer who has finally learned and accepted the fact, as stated by his physician, that he will eventually die and wants to stop chemotherapy. However, the legal and ethical dilemma comes when the boy’s parents expressed and consented to try a new and a more aggressive course of chemotherapy. Learning this from the parents of the patient themselves, the nurses in ...

Ethics deals with requirements of performance and ethical verdict. The major concepts of nursing good care ethics are in consideration in all circumstances including beneficence, non-maleficence, rights, and freedom. Beneficence indicates positive relations or doing well. Nursing staff at work promote their patients s' best interests and endeavor to achieve maximum outcomes. Nonmaleficence involves preventing harm. Nursing staff must maintain a qualified exercise level to prevent causing injury or suffering to patients. The most crucial of nonmaleficence covers confirming alleged misuse to prevent victimization and defending patients with chemical handling nurses and other medical care experts. Autonomy stands for freedom ...

Final School Day: 18.12.2014 Over the past few years, the nursing profession has been pushing its confines and the boundaries of the nursing practice. This profession has been transformed to include better quality of service. As such the delivery of nursing care has been tremendously improved in an effort to meet the increasing healthcare demands. While this profession undergoes the unprecedented changes, the nursing fraternity must remain true to all basic tenets of nursing. The profession must continue to advocate for the wellbeing of the patients with integrity and humility. The main goals of the nursing profession ...

Nursing is a profession that demands the application of ethics for nurses across the world (Davis, 2010). Nurses should be ethical while dealing with patients and their fellow medical practitioners. An absence of clear ethical guidelines in the nursing profession would lead to loss of lives among patients, health damage to patients and poor relations among nurses and other practitioners in the healthcare systems. However, in the process of executing their noble duties, nurses may encounter several dilemmas as they try to work by the set ethical guidelines (Butts, 2013). The dilemmas may arise due to personal, spiritual or cultural ...

In a world of economic turmoil and educational uncertainty, many individuals, young and old, are finding themselves at a crossroads. Once lucrative jobs do not mean what they once did, nor do college degrees. Many jobs that once promised high wages do not even exists anymore do to new technology or other extenuating circumstances. Higher education is expensive, but the guarantee of an equally lucrative occupation after graduation is no longer there. For this reason, many individuals are seeking out alternative occupational routes that they had never considered before. One such route involves nursing, which has garnered many pleasant experiences from ...

Theories are a collection of statements that establish a set of concepts (Timmons, 2012). Moral theories are a collection of mannerisms in which one need to behave or act to be regarded as either having acted in good or bad conduct. Moral theories are classified according to the set of principles applied. Hinman (2012) states that there are principles aligned to the good of a given set of principles, and others that are concerned with the good of the outcome of a given situation. The central concepts of moral theories, therefore, only meet where they all seek to ensure the wellbeing of a given situation. ...

As discussed in class with the classmates and the instructor, nursing encompasses optimization, protection and promotion of health and abilities. Nursing’s major objectives include diagnosis and treatment to alleviate pain and suffering, advocacy for care in various populations and prevention of injuries and illnesses. Optimum care for patients is the core of nursing practice. Nursing’s obligation is to ensure that the patient receives the best possible care. However, nurses sometimes face moral and ethical burden in care provision decision making; especially when doing what is considered right is limited by environment or legal considerations Lutzen (2010). In ...

Abstract

This article is aimed at presenting the nursing ethics and the phenomenon of patient's safety. This paper considers the underlying principles and values of both the nursing ethics and patient’s safety. It considers the implication of the nursing ethics and the safety of patients on nursing management and also states the strategic role of the nurse managers in patient safety. How nurses accomplish a good balance between patient choices and the patient’s safety through the use of Chiovitti’s theory of protecting empowering and the reflective questions that re associated with it. Core categories of the ethical principles ...

Background in Nursing

I obtained my bachelor’s degree in nursing six years ago. Following graduation and licensure, I was employed in a rehabilitation center. Most of the patients I cared for were post-stroke in need of therapy to achieve optimum functioning and the best quality of life possible. Thus, the care I provided consisted of secondary and tertiary prevention. After one year in the center, I was employed in the adult medical-surgical unit of a community hospital caring for patients with the same conditions as that in rehabilitation but in the acute phase of their illness. The hospital’s nursing service is Magnet ...

ATTRIBUTES OF A COMPETENT NURSE

Defining Professional Competence and Attributes of a Competent Nurse Professional competence refers to the prudent use of knowledge, communication, skills, clinical critical thinking, values, emotions and reflection in all situations in the course of professional practice for the benefit of the individuals and community where an individual works(Roberta, 2012). Indeed the public reserves the right to require nurses to exhibit professional competence when practicing in their profession. The American Nurses Association underscores the significance of professional competence and has instituted regulatory measures to ensure that minimum standards for safe practice are met. The particular elements which are often ...

Acute Care Nurses spiritual care practices

Research problem The consideration of acute morbidity leading to mortality in patients is a critical professional issue worthy of evidence based practice research within the field of nursing. The challenge of developing an adequate ‘spiritual’ framework within global nursing best practice recommendations is part of the scope of a recent trend in promoting optimal patient outcomes in nurse-patient synergy. In Gallison et al. (2013) Acute Care Nurses’ Spiritual Care Practices, the issue of spirituality as a core competency within nursing ethics is raised. Investigation of acute care nurses spiritual care practices in response to hospitalized patients applies the AACN (American ...

Introduction

Nurses have to make ethical decisions between what is ‘wrong’ and what is ‘right’ on a daily basis. The nursing profession is based on ethical code of conduct. Ethical conduct is an important aspect in the delivery of quality care. Nursing ethics allows nurses to provide care that is patient centric and observes patient autonomy and privacy. There are different theories used to make ethical decisions in nursing. Each theory has its limitations and often, ethical decisions are made after careful analysis of a case. Culture plays a critical role in ethics as what is right and what is wrong is largely ...

Introduction

Healthcare professionals have differed on the size of adequate nursing in hospitals. Research has clearly revealed that staffing of nurses has a direct effect on quality care. Quality care, on the other hand, influences patient satisfaction and recovery. Studies show that adequate nursing promotes quality care which in turn increases the rate of recovery in hospitals. Evidence-based practices reveal that as a result of low staffing levels, patient recovery has become poor with increased cases of shock and bleeding. The same evidence reports that patients recover at a faster rate when quality care is readily available due to proper staffing. Moreover, effective ...

PRESENTATION OF RELEVANT FACTS AND RELIABLE EVIDENCE

This case is about the patient who was admitted for elective induction at thirty seven (37) weeks gestation. This is contractor to recently implemented policy that prohibits admission of pregnant women for elective induction prior to thirty nine (39) weeks of gestation. This policy regarding elective induction was passed through a national research-based campaign for purposes of taking care of both the health of the women and babies. Dr. K is therefore faced with the dilemma for admitting a pregnant mother at 37 weeks gestation. These campaigns against early deliveries through elective induction were basically meant to reduce complications both during ...

Introduction

Introduction The healthcare profession is one of the most demanding professions in the world. Ethical dilemmas in the workplace are a common norm and the professionals in this field usually find themselves in compromised positions. However, health professionals like nurses can successfully overcome these ethical dilemmas by assuming leadership roles. Leadership does not necessarily involve the assumption of formal positions. It can come from within an individual. A nurse can assume a leadership role by partaking in initiatives designed to improve the operations of the health care sector. This can for example involve assisting patients and also their families in ...

Should Euthanasia be permitted for Terminally Ill Patients?

The question about the permission, need and legality of Euthanasia is a long pending one and generates heavy debate with strong reactions from both the sides. Understanding what Euthanasia is of paramount importance before getting into debate and form opinions. In medical terms, Euthanasia is defined as the painless, physician assisted killing for a person suffering from a highly painful and deadly disease (incurable in most cases). There are many angles and aspects to this debate of permitting or legalizing Euthanasia but over the years, Euthanasia for terminally ill patients has gained support not only among the medical and legal lobby but also ...

Introduction

The health care system remains a fundamental component in national development. An effective health care system enables a country to attain high economic development by providing quality medical services to the people. The system ensures that members of the public access reliable, affordable, and quality medical services. This move creates a healthy and working nation because people can engage in social economic activities and contributes, in national development. The system also creates a conducive environment to nurture talents, innovativeness, creativity, and invention, thus attracting local and foreign investors. Most developed states have invested in health care through hiring qualified and competent nurses, establishing ...

Introduction

People work in different sectors based on their profession and qualifications. Some of the professions deal with services delivery to the people and others deal with manufacturing and processing of goods. Although professions differ in terms of qualification, applicability, and prestige, they adhere to the code of conduct and profession ethics, which differ from one profession to the other. Profession ethics and code of conducts play an integral part in enhancing efficiency, accountability, transparency, and professionalism. It provides a framework that guides daily operations of an organization and employees’ conduct and nursing profession is no exemption. This profession remains an ...

Values Systems in Cross-Cultural Perspective

Chapter 16: An Unlikely Donor

Background This case study that is “An Unlikely Donor” is regarding the problem of organ selling that is widespread amongst the poor people. Organ selling is a prevalent practice in which an individual sells his or her organ in exchange of the money or other reasons. Due to poverty and other financial and economic issues the practice of organ selling is quite common in developing and under developed countries This case study deals with the issue of organ selling. The nurse, Carole Bennet who was working in a private hospital in London while going ...

Values Systems in Cross-Cultural Perspective

Summary

Dom Pedro is one of the largest land owners in the Brazil and was also one of the founders of the local Rural Democratic Union (UDR) which strongly opposed the notion of bringing land reforms in the Brazil. Dom Pedro who was critically ill and was expected to die soon had a son Raoul, who now faces the dilemma of whether he should gift the lands to poor and announce it publically or not. Raoul unlike his father was in favor of the land reforms and he now wants to distribute 20,000 hectares of their land to 2000 ...

Recorded assessment

I will critique my performance during the procedure of taking vital signs identifying the areas which were perfectly executed as well as those that need to be improved on. In this procedure, I measured the patient’s temperature, pulse and respirations.

Body

In preparation for the procedure, I gathered all the equipment that I needed except for a hanging watch. I was thus forced to keep turning to look at the wall clock which was to my back which was a bit distracting. I therefore failed to capitalize on the advantages of adequate preparations. Preparation of the equipment needed prior to initiating a ...

INTRODUCTION

The concept of nursing ethics is a broad one; it encompasses many different disciplines, and myriad issues. The manner in which a nurse behaves and cares for their patient is of paramount importance; their needs and their desires must both be met, in order to achieve a significantly high level of care. In this concept analysis, various approaches and concepts related to nursing ethics will be explored. The two primary means of achieving nursing ethics are ethics of care and virtue ethics. Virtue ethics involves applying one’s own personal beliefs regarding compassion and kindness to the patient, and ethics of ...

Nurses have a moral obligation to protect a client from slander by withholding personal information concerning the illness itself or any other known social problems, which may be assessed or diagnosed. Information must only be shared or discussed among staff members if it is associated directly with a nursing intervention. ‘The nurse has a moral obligation to do good, and the patient has a right to expect that he or she will derive some benefit from that good.’ (Legal Issues in Nursing). Precisely, to professionally link roles and image the issue of ethics becomes dominant as personal perspectives are considered. My personal philosophy is ...

Introduction

Nursing practitioner is frequently faced with ethical dilemmas during their service delivery. These ethical dilemmas are usually hard to tackle or make decisions on due to their sensitivity nature which is concerned with human life. Nevertheless, various regulatory bodies or organization have developed some principles or regulations to be followed by these nursing professionals in cases where they face cases which are hard to tackle. The first and main principle which a nursing or any other health provider is supposed to adhere to is the Hippocratic Oath. This is an oath which every health service provider is subject to. Hippocratic ...

1. Discuss Jean Watson's background, including educational preparation and process of developing her Care Theory as well as her career high points

Born in the 1940s in West Virginia, Jean Watson attended the Lewis Gale school of Nursing from where she graduated with a diploma nursing in the year 1961. She moved to the state of Colorado following her marriage where she continued with her nursing education and graduated with a Bs. in Nursing from the University of Colorado. For her M.S., she specialized in psychiatric and mental health nursing and graduated in the year 1966. She later pursued a Ph.D. in educational psychology and counseling and graduated in 1973. Afterwards, she joined the University of Colorado health sciences center’s nursing faculty where ...