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Moral ethical dilemmas in the medical field
Ethical dilemmas in healthcare
Moral ethical dilemmas in the medical field
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In Five Days at Memorial, Fink depicts the deadlock that went on at Memorial Medical Center for five days as several individuals were caught in the hospital without electricity. An ethical and legal issue in Five Days at Memorial: Euthanasia The triage set up for evacuation didn’t give priority to critically diseased patients; instead many were euthanized by the exhausted medical and nursing crew. Unexpectedly, the rescue came to evacuate the entire hospital on the fifth day of the events. Fink ponders the legal consequences of the deadly choice to euthanize patients and the ethical issues surrounding euthanasia in health care setting during large scale disasters. Summary of the ethical and legal issue When the medical …show more content…
During a pandemic in India, a doctor did exploits and was praised by other team members as Fink narrates: “Colleagues credited her quick thinking with saving lives” (p.472). The respect for the person and his or her dignity is at the core of the nursing practice. The registered nurse, as a member of the discipline of nursing should always remember before any action, this strong ethical piece: First, do no harm. References Baruch, J. (2014). Disaster response or response as disaster? Hastings Center Report, 44(2), 46-47.doi:10.1002/hast.228 Fink, S. (2013). Five days at Memorial: Life and death in a storm-ravaged hospital (1st ed.) . New York: Crown Publishers. State Board of Nursing. (1976). Responsibilities of the registered nurse. Pa Nurse Practice Act. 9690. Winland-Brown, J . , Lockman, V. D. , & Swanson, E. O. (2015) . The new’’ Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements’’. (2015): Practical clinical application, part1. Ethics, Law, and Policy.
The younger, healthier patients were evacuated from the hospital via helicopters and boats, followed by the older and sicker patients. It was decided that those who were difficult to move, terminally ill, or had previously signed a “do not resuscitate” order were to be evacuated last, leaving Pou and her colleagues with what they may have perceived as two choices: leave their most vulnerable patients to languish in the heat and discomfort of the hospital and let nature take its course, or hasten their deaths with the assistance of powerful narcotics in order to allocate precious resources to people with higher chances of survival. The abandonment of the patients would have presumably caused more pain and anguish than the swift relief of death, and Pou has maintained that she only acted to ease the suffering of her patients and has since worked to pass legislation that decriminalizes physician-administered euthanasia during disasters (Fink,
For anyone who has ever worked in healthcare, or simply for someone who has watched a popular hit television show such as Grey’s Anatomy, General Hospital, House or ER know that there can be times when a doctor or health care provider is placed in extremely difficult situations. Often times, those situations are something that we watch from the sidelines and hope for the best in the patient’s interest. However, what happens when you place yourself inside the doctors, nurses, or any other of the medical provider’s shoes? What if you were placed in charge of a patient who had an ethically challenging situation? What you would you do then? That is precisely what Lisa Belkin accomplishes in her book “First Do No Harm”. Belkin takes the reader on
One cannot fake being a nurse, one must be extremely genuine in order to perfect being a nurse; therefore, explaining why nurses enforce and value their code of ethics. The purpose of the code of ethics is to ensure patient safety and implement standard of care by following the nine provisions of ethics. The nine provisions explain the nurses’ responsibility while caring for a patient; for example, maintaining the rights and autonomy of a patient. Another point that the provisions highlight is being the patient advocate, nurses are in the front line of patient care and they must protect their patients. An important guideline that the nine provision emphasize is the need and requirement for nurses to continue with their education to promote beneficent and to avoid maleficent. The National Nursing Association (ANA) states that the nursing code of ethics “reiterates the fundamental and the commitment of the nurse” (Lachman, Swanson, & Windland-brown, 2015). The purpose of this paper is to highlight the obligations and duty of a nurse and why it is important when attempting to maintain standard of care.
During week 4, we became familiar with the application of ethics in the nursing practice settings. We learned about ethical theories and principles, which are crucial when practicing in any clinical settings during ethical decision-making and while facing one or multiple ethical dilemmas. Also, we were introduced to the MORAL model used in ethical decision – making progress. The MORAL model is the easiest model to use in the everyday clinical practice, for instance at bedside nursing. This model can be applyed in any clinical settings and its acronyms assist
Campbell, Courtney. "'Aid-in-Dying' and the taking of Human Life." Journal of Medical Ethics. 18.3 (1992 ): 128-134. Web. 2 March 2015.
The Five Days at Memorial is a book written by an author named Sheri Fink. The excerpt from this book describes how an unexpected disaster left staff, patients, and their love stranded in a hospital. “Without an established evacuation plan, when limited evacuation resources arrived, the staff found themselves having to make difficult decisions about who should leave the hospital first. These decisions proved crucial for the critically ill patients who required extensive care and support and who were at high risk of dying
Braddok III Clarence H. MD MPH .” Physician aid-in-dying: Ethical topics in medicine” n.d University of Washington school of medicinestate death with dignity act” N.p n.d University of Washington department of bioethics and humanities 2009 web 24 March 2012
Ethical issues arise daily in the healthcare world. The manor in which issues are addressed vary. “There are, it might be said, as many histories of nursing ethics as there are individual ethicists and professional or cultural contexts” (Guildford 2010, p.1). “A code of ethics is a fundamental document for any profession. It provides a social contract with the society served, as well as ethical and legal guidance to all members of the profession” (Lachman 2009, p.55). According to Lachman, since the original ANA Code from 1950, the significance of service to others has been consistent. Two changes in the code have occurred since the original. First, not only the patient is being treated, but the family and community where they live are also considered.
In this essay the author will rationalize the relevance of professional, ethical and legal regulations in the practice of nursing. The author will discuss and analyze the chosen scenario and critically review the action taken in the expense of the patient and the care workers. In addition, the author will also evaluates the strength and limitations of the scenario in a broader issue with reasonable judgement supported by theories and principles of ethical and legal standards.
Assisted- physician suicide also goes by many names such as euthanasia. 'Euthanasia' rings an enormous bell as the same structure used during the holocaust in the 1940s. The difference between now and then is the innocent lives lost because of their inc...
In critical and complicating medical cases, family members often find it tedious to decide as to what mode or procedure of treatment is idyllic for the recovery of their patient. In such cases, well-qualified and medically educated can play a pivotal role in deciding the kind of treatment that should be given to the patient to enhance its recovery. In a contrary situation a nurse may know that administering a particular drug may improve the patient’s condition, but may be refrained from conducting the required action due to doctor’s absence or non-permission. There are numerous cases through which ethical dilemmas in the profession of nursing can be discussed. Nurses in order to remain within the defined boundaries ...
Ethics and moral judgment will always continue to be a controversial topic due to the different beliefs of those living around the world. One’s surrounding and upbringing is different from almost every human being; making no two people alike. As a health specialist it is our job to uphold the standards of professional conduct and ethical codes. We must respect decisions of others and be held accountable for our own personal mistakes. In the case of The Overcrowded Lifeboat making a vital decision with the lives of the people involved can be a major controversy. The question of whether a situation can be considered moral may never be answered and is left to the interpretation of the own solitary individual.
In conclusion, there are numerous legal and ethical issues apparent in the nursing practice. Nurses should study and be as informed as they can with ethics and legality within their field in order to ensure no mistakes occur. Ethical issues vary based on patient’s views, religion, and environment. Nurses are influenced by these same views, but most of the time they are not the same as the patients. As a nurse we must learn to put the care of our patients and their beliefs, rights, and wishes before our own personal
In order for nurses to practice ethically they must understand the meaning behind each professional value. The first value is human dignity. With each patient we encounter we must show them respect as individuals. It does not matter what the medical condition is, race, ethnicity, culture, religion or gender of the individual. The dignity of a person must be protected. As nurses we must respect the uniqueness of each individual we care for, as this is a fundamental right of all humans. A person with dignity feels a sense of self-worth and as nurses we must do our best to help our patients maintain that feeling of worthiness.
New York: New York University Press, 2012. Print. The. Kuhse, Helga. A. “Euthanasia.” A Companion to Ethics.