Balancing Parental Rights and Child Welfare in Medical Decisions Post-Divorce

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Parents have moral and legal obligation to take care of their child and provide him with food, shelter and necessary medical care. After the divorce, the child will live with one parent who will have legal and physical custody. In times of emergency most contentious philosophical and religious beliefs requires compromise. In a situation when former spouses disagree on the practice of conventional medicine, the family attorney will be able to assist to reach an agreement.“But while adult patients can refuse treatments on grounds of faith, the religious convictions of a child—or of their parents—are not an acceptable legal defense against withholding lifesaving treatment” (When Parents Disagree on Medical Care for Their Children. (2013). …show more content…

By following Uustal model steps we can access a situation and find a better resolution of the issue, it will help us to understand the reasoning of both sides and find a compromise. This model is a tool that allows us to make a decision based on a cognitive perspective, objective, rather than affective or emotional perspective. The Uustal model includes the nursing process and values, which help us to make an objective decision (Grand Canyon University, 2011). Application of Theory
1.Identification of problem. The primary goal is to achieve consensus between parents since they are caregivers and decision- makers. Education about the disease, complications, and risk is a first and most important step in resolving of this dilemma as long as parents physically and morally fit and are capable of making rational decisions regarding the care of their …show more content…

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