Ethical Issues

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Ethical Issues Ethical issues are “moral challenges” facing the health care profession (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2012, p. 127). Ethical issues is a major concern in the healthcare field because healthcare providers observe ethical issues every day and have to make ethical decisions. Advance directives are written documents that addressed an individual’s medical care preferences. These documents usually take effect when patients no longer can make informed health care decisions for themselves. While these documents are helpful to loved ones and health care providers, there are a number of ethical considerations that can make the development and execution of advance directives difficult (Llama, 2014). This author is a geriatric nurse that recently observed an advance directive ethical issue in the clinical setting. The purpose of this paper is to outline the steps of ethical decision-making within the seven steps for the framework. This paper will also identify the facts of the case from the perspective of each person impacted by the situation and identify which ethical principles were involved in the situation. Ethical Issues and People impacted Advance directives can become ethical issues especially when a family attempts to enforce their opinions on healthcare instead of what a patient had requested in a living will. Advance directives, sometimes called a living will, are legal documents that allow an individual to spell out your decisions about end-of-life care ahead of time (MedlinePlus, 2014). A living will address which treatments an individual wants if he or she is dying or permanently unconscious (MedlinePlus, 2014). People impacted by this situations was the patient, the patient’s daughter, and all the patient... ... middle of paper ... ... own life when the need arises (Llama, 2014). If the patients’ living will is clear, family member and health care providers should respected the patient’s autonomy. DPOA is a person appointed by the patient to make medical decisions on the patient’s behalf if the patient become incapable to do so (Llama, 2014). In all health care settings, nurses should apply the four primary ethical principles. Works Cited Llama, H. (2014). What Is A Living Will and Ethical Implications? Retrieved from http://hubllama.hubpages.com/hub/What-Is-A-Living-Will-and-Ethical-Implications MedlinePlus. (2014, March). Advance Directives. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/advancedirectives.htm Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2012). Public health nursing: population-centered health care in the community (8th ed.). Maryland Heights, Mo.: Elsevier Mosby.

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