Ethical Concept

Ethical Concept

  • Submitted By: fdougoud
  • Date Submitted: 07/27/2010 7:55 PM
  • Category: Religion
  • Words: 933
  • Page: 4
  • Views: 1

A) A recent dilemma experienced in my workplace involves unsafe patient to nurse ratio. It is the nurses ethical duty to keep patients safe, and providing care to too many patients can cause inadequate care. This has been a dilemma in nursing for many years now, and it seems like its not getting any better. When we have inadequate staffing on a floor they will pull another nurse to float from a different floor, but is this an ethical dilemma as well? Nurses are working in unfamiliar places with patients that exhibit all different kinds of illnesses and diseases. As a nurse being able to pick out problems that are arising with the patients is part of being a proficient caring nurse, and working in unfamiliar areas of nursing where patients don’t exhibit the same signs/symptoms on certain illnesses could cause a disaster.
B) Utilitarianism is described as moral rightness of an action determined by its consequences. Providing adequate staffing on floors will provide patient satisfaction. The problem that keeps occurring is inadequate staffing. What can healthcare do to provide adequate staffing for employers? I have always seen this as an ethical dilemma in healthcare, and it will remain a problem until someone can think of a good plan to make sure staffing needs are covered.
C) i) Autonomy – every patient has the right to make their own health care decisions, and decide on their plan of action for further care needed. The nurses are there for the patient spiritually and physically, and it is their responsibility to make sure the patient is being taking care of regardless of their decision making. It is the nurse’s responsibility to keep their thoughts and opinions to themselves with patients asking questions when needed.
ii) Non-maleficience – is defined as the duty to do no harm. The nurse’s responsibility is to provide adequate care to patients, and make sure the patients are aware of the risks and benefits of any problem that may arise. As nurses we...

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