...Running head: ETHICAL FRAMEWORKS IN PRACTICE Ethical Frameworks in Practice Debra Benton Grand Canyon University Ethical Decision Making in Health Care NRS-437V October 14, 2012 Ethical Frameworks in Practice Patients should feel at ease when giving personal information to their physician or nurse (Burkle & Cascino, 2011). Patients may resist offering pertinent information if they feel their confidence may be betrayed. Confidentiality can only be broken when it involves a gunshot wound, injuries resulting from child abuse or an infectious disease, which would put the community at risk. Such is the case presented in Nathanson’s article titled: “Betraying trust or providing good care? When is it okay to break confidentiality?” (2000). The article addresses an ethical dilemma presented in an episode of NBC’s ER. Nurse Carol Hathaway promises two reluctant teenage patients who are seeking care, that anything they tell her will remain confidential, even from their parents and anyone else. Agreeable to this, the girls divulge they have been sexually active with multiple partners and suspect they have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Tests were performed on the teenager for STD’s and receive Pap tests to detect any cervical abnormalities. The test results confirm, Andrea, is positive for the human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer. Promising Andrea confidentiality, Nurse Hathaway knows she must break the promise or potentially endanger herself...
Words: 1049 - Pages: 5
...Running head: APPLYING ETHICAL FRAMEWORK IN PRACTICE Applying Ethical Framework in Practice Jaclyn Hughes Grand Canyon University: NRS-437V August 21, 2011 Applying Ethical Framework in Practice Patient confidentiality is one thing that cannot be breached nor as a patient that you would want to be breached. In this day and age as healthcare professionals it is a very fine line of what breaching confidentiality is. We all want to know that when we are sick and in the hospital, the one thing that we can keep personal is our privacy which would include our health information. It is hard to imagine that in a state of vulnerability that some things must be disclosed to certain departments regardless of your desire to keep it private and confidential; some examples include: domestic violence, child abuse, rape, psychiatric evaluations, and communicable diseases. These situations if not taken care of could cause more harm to the patient. Knowing your ethical principles and nursing code of ethics allows for the nurse to make a moral and ethical decision based on the five basic principles without breaching confidentiality and doing what is morally and ethically right for the patient. A patient’s trust is sacred and breaching that information is a violation of the trust between the relationship of the nurse and the patient (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008). An ethical implication of a breach of confidentiality would include: patient confidentiality and informed consent for...
Words: 1231 - Pages: 5
...Applying Ethical Frameworks in Practice Adetutu S. Toyin-oke Applying Ethical Frameworks in Practice Under what circumstances is one allowed to break patient-nurse confidentiality? As a nurse one may think of a few personal situations where they had to break that confidentiality. Ethical framework such as the nightingale pledge and ethical principles stated in nursing textbooks were meant to provide guidelines on how to most appropriately treat people in the healthcare field; however, when ethical framework is applied to nursing practice, a nurse may run into many implications. Ethical implications What are the implications of a breach of confidentiality? Well, the most obvious consequence is that the patient will not be able to trust her nurse or maybe even all nurses in general. In Pamela G. Nathanson’s article, Betraying Trust or Providing Good Care? When is it okay to break confidentiality?, She depicts a story of a nurse who is in an ethical dilemma. This nurse promised two teenage patients “who [were] reluctant to enter into care that no matter what they tell her, she will not divulge any information to the patient's parents or to anyone else (Nathanson, 2000).” However one of these two patients tested positive for HPV. A physician advices this nurse “that not only should she inform Andrea's parents of her diagnosis, but that she should also inform the girls' school since it has become a ‘public health issue’ (Nathanson, 2000).” According to Nathanson, “If confidentiality...
Words: 866 - Pages: 4
...Running head: ETHICAL FRAMEWORKS Applying Ethical Frameworks in Practice NRS 437V September 01, 2012 Appling Ethical Frameworks in Practice A conclusive ethical foundation in the healthcare arena is confidentiality. It is referred to the standard of maintaining secure and private from others health care information revealed during a professional consultation. This is an essential legal right of every client and an ethical duty of the medical community (Bourke, 2008). Maintaining confidentiality between the client and healthcare professional translates to a trustworthy relationship, especially with adolescents. This paper will discuss implications to breach confidentiality, ethical principles, alternatives and ethical committee applications to an ethical dilemma. Implications of Breach of Confidentiality To promote trust between the patient and healthcare provider is a good reason to appreciate confidentiality in health management. To release information to a third party without consent of the patient is considered a breach of confidentiality and illegal. For example, adolescents are encouraged to participate in health care prevention. Many are depressed and even sexually active, but the challenge to provide access and receive adequate care is necessary. Confidentiality is the primary reason this juvenile group deter from health care prevention and management (English & Ford, 2007). A breach of confidentiality in juvenile health care has...
Words: 1093 - Pages: 5
...Applying Ethical Framework in Practice Grand Canyon University: NRS – 437V June 14, 2015 Ethics and Nursing Practice This paper will address the use of the Uustal’s decision making models in regards to analyzing a specific scenario that has precipitated an ethical dilemma in regards to providing medical care. The scenario consist of a 6-year-old who has developed a high fever accompanied by violent vomiting and convulsions while at school. The hospital physician makes a diagnosis of meningitis and requested to begin treatment. The child’s parents are divorced with the mother, who is not the biological parent retaining custody. The mother is a Christian Scientist and is refusing medical treatment due to religious reasons. The child’s biological father requests that treatment be provided and that another independent physician be consulted in regards to the care. The Ethical Dilemma A large responsibility of being a parent to make decisions on how to best care for their children. This encompasses how to best discipline them, what activities they may engage in, what foods they eat, and the medical care they receive. Parents have a duty to assure that the decisions they make take into account what is in the best interest of their child. As medical personnel we are both ethically and legally responsible to advocate for our patients. When a parents decisions may likely cause injury, be abusive, or be derelict it is our duty to address that decision. Medical personnel...
Words: 1657 - Pages: 7
...Running head: APPLYING ETHICAL FRAMEWORKS IN PRACTICE Applying Ethical Frameworks in Practice Grand Canyon University Applying Ethical Frameworks in Practice Implications of a breach of confidentiality In the NBC’s ER: Betraying trust or providing good care? A14 year old girl Andrea came to trust the nurse that was caring for her and after being told that the information would be confidential, disclosed that she had been sexually active. When it became apparent that she had cervical cancer and needed treatment which required parental consent; Nurse Carol Hathaway faced a dilemma of remaining true to her promise and allow Andrea to possibly go untreated or break confidentiality and inform the parents. The purpose of confidentiality between patient and medical care provider is to gain trust and provide the patient with privacy regarding their medical care and allow the patient assurance that personal matters will remain confidential. When private information is disclosed without the patient consent this is regarded as a breach of confidentiality and is morally, ethically and legally wrong. The implications are a lack of trust between the patient and the healthcare provider and the patient may not disclose vital information regarding their condition thereby may not receive adequate care.(Nathanson, 2000). There are exceptions which “require physicians to report certain infectious diseases to public health authorities to protect the health of the community”...
Words: 864 - Pages: 4
...Applying Ethical Frameworks in Practice Grand Canyon University Roopneet kaur NRS-437v-o101 August 13, 2014 Applying Ethical Frameworks in Practice Patient confidentiality is essential in developing a trusting relationship between a healthcare worker and the patient. Confidentiality means that the patients personal and medical information that is given to a health care provider will not be disclosed to others unless the patient has given permission for the information to be released ("Confidentiality," 2014). Confidentiality and privacy are two of the fundamental rights of every individual. Protecting these rights with respect to every patient’s personal information is not just ethical but a legal obligation as well. One of the key components of patient and nurse relationship is the assurance that each healthcare workers hold to respect, and that is to value and safeguard every patient’s information and their privacy. But when does the breach of confidentially happen? When is the nurse required to draw the line? An example of these applies on infectious diseases and cases of abuse, where challenges occur that compels the nurse to report the...
Words: 2035 - Pages: 9
...Applying Ethical Framework in Practice Adele Wolf, RN Grand Canyon University Ethical Decision Making in Health Care NRS 437V Charlene Cowley, MS, RN, CPNP February 26, 2011 Applying Ethical Framework in Practice Confidentiality is the right of an individual patient to have personal, identifiable medical information kept private; such information should be available only to the physician of record and other health care and insurance personnel as necessary. The only time information should be disclosed is with informed consent, with concern for the safety of other specific persons, or in concern for public welfare (K. Edwards, 2008). This paper will discuss the choices made by one nurse who cared for teenage girls in an episode of ER in 2000. Did she make the correct choices? Is it ever the right thing to do when confidentiality is broken? We will explore this case with the choices that can and should be made in this situation. In this episode of ER, the nurse is Carol Hathaway, she promises two young patients who are reluctant to enter into care that no matter what they tell her, she will not divulge any information to their parents or to anyone else. Test result for Andrea, one of the 14 year olds, is positive for human papillomavirus-(HPV) an extremely common sexually transmitted disease (STD). There are over 85 types of HPV infection and 95% of all cervical cancers are linked to HPV infection, which makes HPV the first sexually transmitted cancer. When...
Words: 1064 - Pages: 5
...Applying Ethical Frameworks in Practice Grand Canyon University Ethical Decision Making in Health Care NRS-437v Ethical Decision Making in Health Care January 12, 2014 Breeching Confidentiality Being a nurse patient confidentiality is common knowledge and we all know it is to be treated with the up most respect. In nursing school this is taught; it is part of the Nursing Code of Ethics. It is a nurse’s duty to keep patient information confidential. (American Nurses Association, 2012). However instances exist that allow for a break in this rule. In fact there are some instances where it would be a violation of a rule to not share a patient’s information. If a patient was to come into the emergency room with cuts to his or her arm and confided in you the nurse that he does not want to live anymore; it is then your duty as the nurse to report this information as the patient is at risk for harming himself. There are also certain diseases you must report by law if identified. This paper will go over reasons and times when it is ethically and legally expected to breech confidentiality, what you can do in place of a confidentiality breech and how to make an ethical decision. Nurses are told personal information from patients; the law all personal information to be kept private. Clients will volunteer everything in assumption that trust will be upheld and their personal information will only be used for their medical needs. Breaking confidentiality is when a patient’s information...
Words: 1180 - Pages: 5
...Running Head: VARK Learning Style Assessment VARK Learning Style Assessment Joby Reji Grand Canyon University Family Health Promotion NRS-429V Dawn,Peter November19, 2011 VARK Learning Style Assessment Learning styles are different methods of learning. Each individual has his/her own way of learning . Identifying a learning style would help an individual to focus on his strong points and pay more attention on weak points. People with learning disabilities or attention deficit disorder would benefit from these learning styles. In 1987 Neil Fleming invented VARK Questionnaire which help users to identify learning preferences. These preferences are about the ways that they want to take in and give out information (VARK, 2011).VARK questionnaires are very helpful for some learners, which enable them to change their study habits, some learners already know about their way of learning, questionnaire or inventory does not make any difference in their study habits. VARK questionnaire can be found online or on paper, gives an option of more than one answer for a question. VARK questionnaire is short with 13-16 questions to prevent students survey fatigue (Fleming and Baume,2006).VARK questionnaire is not a distinctive measure, but it gives a method of thinking about how to prioritize the learning strategy. VARK consist of 5 strategies- visual, aural, read/write, kinesthetic and multimodal. In visual study strategy...
Words: 1006 - Pages: 5
...Patient Confidentiality: A Nurse’s Perspective Grand Canyon University: NRS-437V Ethical Decision Making in Health Care Ann Yurco, RN June 15, 2014 Patient Confidentiality: A Nurse’s Perspective One of the first things we learn in nursing school is in regard to a patient’s privacy and the confidentiality we are to abide by when caring for them. We learn the rules and regulations of the “Privacy Rule” and HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996). These were put in place to ensure confidentiality and accountability in cases where patient’s health information is compromised, (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2014). During an episode of the television series “ER” a main character, “Nurse Hathaway”, struggles with an ethical dilemma in which she must decide whether or not to break confidentiality with her patient who is also a minor in the name of the law. This patient’s diagnosis turns out to be a serious condition, cervical cancer. The author will discuss this dilemma in terms of ethical implications, ethical theories, alternative solutions, if any, as well as the author’s position on this dilemma. The author will also refer to a landmark case, “Tarasoff vs. Regents” in which “a psychologist failed to warn a woman or her family when his patient threatened to murder the woman,” (Nathanson, 2000) to discuss confidentiality ethics. Ethical Implications of a Breach of Confidentiality There are several implications when referring to...
Words: 1302 - Pages: 6
...The Application of Ethical Frameworks in Medical Practice Introduction Identified as two of the most vital qualities regarding professional ethics concerning nursing, confidentiality and trust compose the two essential components of any and all kinds of relationships between patients, colleagues and the general public for a nurse. This essay seeks to analyze the article entitled “Betraying trust or providing good care? When is it okay to break confidentiality?”, written by Nathanson (2000). This chosen article highlights the importance of confidentiality and the possible professional premises in which confidentiality is commonly brought to a breach by professionals. It delves into the ethically evident implications involved in a breach of confidentiality, how different ethical lenses propagated by different theories view the position of the nurse, and mentions some alternatives regarding the approach to problem solving. Implications of breach of confidentiality Mutual confidentiality between a patient and medical personnel finds its fulfillment when trust is gained between each other and the patient is assured that the personal matters regarding the lives of each remain within themselves. There is a severe break in confidentiality when any information regarding the patient is publicized without patient approval. It is not only unacceptable professionally, but is also so in regards to ethics, morality and legality. The results of such practice involves the patient not being...
Words: 1092 - Pages: 5
...emphasis, priorities and or understanding (Osmo and Landau, 2006). As a social worker making decisions about what to do in cases that feature ethical problems as well as dilemmas integrates our ethical judgements or evaluation of what is right...
Words: 1201 - Pages: 5
...Ethics and ethical theories: a road map for teaching ethics in business schools Joan Fontrodona (IESE Business School, Spain), Manuel Guillén (University of Valencia, Spain), and Alfredo Rodríguez-Sedano (University of Navarre, Spain) Introduction A three-dimensional framework to explain ethical theories Ethical approaches of business firms Teaching ethics experiences using this framework Discussion of the teaching experiences Conclusions References 1 2 6 9 10 12 13 Introduction This paper tries to contribute, in some way, to the urgent need recently warned by Benedict XVI: “the university, for its part, must never lose sight of its particular calling to be a "universitas" in which the various disciplines, each in its own way, are seen as part of a greater unum. How urgent is the need to rediscover the unity of knowledge and to counter the tendency to fragmentation and lack of communicability that is all too often the case in our schools!”1 This seems to be a challenge for both, Catholic and non-Catholic universities. The purpose of this paper is to present a theoretical framework that helps to conceptualize ethics and to clarify the characteristics and limits of the different ethical theories. In other words, students without philosophical background will find here a synthetic “road map” of ethical approaches. This framework has been previously published in a book in Spain2. In this paper, authors will describe the model and discuss how it has been successfully tested...
Words: 6803 - Pages: 28
...Ethial Issues in Health Care Name: Professor: Institution: Course: Date: Ethical Issues in Health Care Section 1: Ethical Decision Making Processes The Consequential Framework This method of ethical decision making is necessary particularly when dealing with future effects of the lines of action adopted for a particular situation. The method considers all the individuals who will be affected either directly or indirectly (Robinson & Reeser, 2000). The first step is to consider what results are desirable in the particular ethical complication. Secondly, there is consideration of the ethical conduct that will help in realizing the best of the consequences. An individual using this method of consequences framework has an aim of producing the most good. The Duty Framework The duty framework method of coming up with ethical decisions focuses on the obligations and duties that are usually posed in different situations. The method considers the ethical obligations that individuals have and the things that they should never do. The method defines ethical conduct as fulfilling one’s duties and doing what is right. The main aim of the method is performing the right act. Section 2: The Duty Framework Decision Making Process The duty framework is the more preferable of the two methods discussed above. Firstly, the method presents a solid ground for the formulation of decisions. Mainly, it is due to the fact that most moral duties are standardized and an expected course...
Words: 1028 - Pages: 5
