Truth Telling In Nursing

304 Words1 Page

Introduction Truth-telling in nursing and the medical profession in general is an extensive area encompassing many ethical issues, not limited to and including the rights of patients or their families to receive information about their diagnosis and illness. The practitioner, on the other hand, must balance their obligation to tell the truth against the importance of Non-maleficence ,“do no harm”. Questions of how much truth to tell?, When, if ever, is a Nurse justified in withholding information? Can some information be harmful? This essay will examine truth-telling in terms of patient autonomy verses the physical and psychological harm it could bring, Dealing with a number of key issues that have been identified during my

Show More
Related

  • Is It Ever Ok To Lie To Patients Essay

    680 Words  | 2 Pages

    Truth in medicine is a big discussion among many medical professionals about how doctors handle the truth. Truth to a patient can be presented in many ways and different doctors have different ways of handling it. Many often believe that patient’s being fully aware of their health; such as a bad diagnosis, could lead to depression compared to not knowing the diagnosis. In today’s society doctor’s are expected to deliver patient’s the whole truth in order for patients to actively make their own health decisions. Shelly K. Schwartz discusses the truth in her essay, Is It Ever Ok to Lie to Patients?. Schwartz argument is that patients should be told the truth about their health and presented and addressed in a way most comfortable to the patient.

    Read More

  • Terrence Ackerman Autonomy

    1330 Words  | 3 Pages

    According to Terrence F. Ackerman, as of the 1980s the American Medical Association had to include the respect for a person’s autonomy as a principle of medical ethics (Ackerman 14, 1982). This includes having the physician provide all the medical information to the patient even if the information could cause negative implication onto the patient. The physician is also expected to withhold all information of the patient from 3rd parties (Ackerman 14, 1982). Although it is seen as standard in today’s world, in

    Read More

  • Ethical Principles Of Non-Maleficence And Staffing Inadequacy

    983 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nurses everywhere face problems and challenges in practice. Most of the challenges occur due to a struggle with the use of ethical principles in patient care. Ethical principles are “basic and obvious moral truths that guide deliberation and action,” (Burkhardt, Nathaniel, 2014). Ethical principles that are used in nursing practice include autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, veracity, confidentiality, justice, and fidelity. These challenges not only affect them, but the quality of care they provide as well. According to the article, some of the most frequently occurring and most stressful ethical issues were protecting patient rights, autonomy and informed consent to treatment, staffing problems, advanced care planning, and surrogate decision making (Ulrich et. al, 2013). The ethical issue of inadequate staffing conflicts with the principle of non-maleficence.

    Read More

  • Respect For Patients, Physicians, And The Truth By Susan Cullen And Margaret Brown

    1447 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the most complex, ever-changing careers is the medical field. Physicians are not only faced with medical challenges, but also with ethical ones. In “Respect for Patients, Physicians, and the Truth”, by Susan Cullen and Margaret Klein, they discuss to great extent the complicated dilemmas physicians encounter during their practice. In their publication, Cullen and Klein discuss the pros and cons of disclosing the medical diagnosis (identifying the nature or cause of the disease), and the prognosis (the end result after treating the condition). But this subject is not easily regulated nor are there guidelines to follow. One example that clearly illustrates the ambiguity of the subject is when a patient is diagnosed with a serious, life-threatening

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Five Days At Memorial

    1020 Words  | 3 Pages

    Winland-Brown, J. L. (2015). The New "Code of Ethics for Nursing With Interpretive Statements". Practical Clinical Applications Part I. MEDSURG Nursing 24(4),

    Read More

  • Issues influencing nursing practice

    1271 Words  | 3 Pages

    Consent has been a fundamental part of nursing practice dating back as far as Hippocrates in ancient Greece. The Hippocratic Oath is an ancient form of guideline, devised for those who chose to enter the medical profession. Here these guidelines show physician-patient conversation were key components in healthcare, along with ensuring patients were kept informed on issues related to their health and the importance of gaining consent during the delivery of care (Miles, 2009).

    Read More

  • Nursing Vulnerability In Nursing

    1714 Words  | 4 Pages

    The healthcare system can be difficult for clients to navigate and they are often unsure how to access information which puts them at the mercy of others and can lead to feelings of helplessness (Erlen, 2006). Nurses can provide resources to educate patients when they becomes dependent on a health care provider and no longer feel in control of their own body which can lead to fear, hopelessness, helplessness and loss of control (Cousley et al., 2014). The change in roles individuals face can further increase their stress and feelings of powerlessness (Scanlon & Lee, 2006). According to the CNA code of ethics, nurses are responsible for protecting patients from objective risks that place them in an increased level of vulnerability (Carel, 2009). They can do this by providing the resources necessary for patients to educate themselves and be better able to cope with the health challenges they

    Read More

  • Personal Narrative: My Desire To Become A Nurse

    344 Words  | 1 Pages

    My desire to become a nurse is deeply-rooted in my aspiration to contribute to the well-being and improvement of the less privileged as well as my own personal ethical stance. My decision was made easy by the professional code of ethics of nursing, which correspond with my personal beliefs. One of my personal values that have shaped me into who I am today is honesty. It is important to provide patients with accurate information on procedures, diagnosis, treatment options, and possible outcomes. Although I am fallible, it is imperative to acknowledge and take responsibility of my own mistakes. These personal qualities would help propel me into my professional career.

    Read More

  • Patient Autonomy Case Study

    1163 Words  | 3 Pages

    Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political, and bioethical reasoning. Inside these connections, it is the limit of a sound individual to make an educated, unpressured decision. Patient autonomy can conflict with clinician autonomy and, in such a clash of values, it is not obvious which should prevail. (Lantos, Matlock & Wendler, 2011). In order to gain informed consent, a patient

    Read More

  • Confidentiality And Patient Privacy

    949 Words  | 2 Pages

    Confidentiality will always be an important component in medical discussions, but confidentiality on the other hand is not a right and has to be stable against counter claims (Chalmers, 2003). Some arguments and facts that were used in the article were how are health care providers supposed to be able to correct the stability? Should overt content always be required from clients for any use of their health care information separately from the direct clinical care? The proof suggests that where the informed consent is needed completeness of health information hurts and unfinished health ...

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Should Doctors Tell The Truth

    1023 Words  | 3 Pages

    However, it has been reported that telling a patient the truth may significantly improve their wellbeing as they approach the end of their life. One study revealed that truth telling may reduce terminal cancer patients’ uncertainty and anxiety, as indicated by lower scores on a Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale, and higher scores on a Spiritual Well-being scale (Kao et al. 2013). Furthermore, while there is no explicit principle regarding lying within the Hippocratic Oath, honesty is a virtue that is closely associated with physicians and health care providers. In fact, honesty can be closely related to respect for persons, which implies that it is necessary for the maintenance of the physician-patient relationship. Honesty about all relevant aspects of a patient’s diagnosis, prognosis and treatment are necessary to build trust, and to obtain informed consent.

    Read More

  • Nursing Case Study

    861 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nurses should remain non-judgemental towards patients, families or staff regardless of their back ground, religious beliefs or age (“Equality Act 2010”) Regardless of where you work nurses are duty bound to maintain effective practice through clinical governance frameworks such as, audits, ensuring healthcare is safe for every person every time and the best of available resources are used. (NHS FIFE 2010) Effective collaboration is also important within a multidisciplinary team to enable safe delivery and promote high quality holistic care that will enhance better patient outcomes for instance, referral to the appropriate services, professionals. Throughout a nurses’ career they will face clinical ethical dilemmas for instance, families that want a nurse to deny telling the patient the truth about their medical condition as the families believe this could detrimental to the patients’ wellbeing. The decisions a nurse will make could be affected by a few factors such as, own personal beliefs, values and

    Read More

  • Nursing Integrity In Nursing

    1555 Words  | 4 Pages

    As a nurse, we must know right from wrong and hold true to our judgments on certain issues. Therefore, nurses must

    Read More

  • Examples Of Ethical Dilemmas In Nursing

    1544 Words  | 4 Pages

    While nursing is a fulfilling occupation, it is not without its challenges. The complexities of today’s healthcare system present nurses with a multitude of ethical dilemmas every day. This paper will define the meaning of ethical dilemmas and discuss common types of ethical dilemmas in nursing, such as patient autonomy and privacy. This paper will review the effects these dilemmas may have on nurses, as ethical dilemmas for nurses may often be stressful and involve life and death decisions. The Code of Ethics for Nurses set forth by the American Nurses Association and the International Council of Nurses Code of Ethics are also discussed, as they are integral in guiding nurses in compassionate, ethical care.

    Read More

  • Applying the D.E.C.I.D.E Model of Decision Making

    1323 Words  | 3 Pages

    Pergert, P., & Lützén, K. (2012). Balancing truth-telling in the preservation of hope: A relational ethics approach. Nursing ethics, 19(1), 21-29.

    Read More

More about Truth Telling In Nursing

Open Document