Free Essay

Aneroxia Nervosa

In: Science

Submitted By linarcarol
Words 511
Pages 3
Sally, a 22 year-old woman has been suffering from anorexia nervosa for six years. The recent weeks have seen her condition worsen to the extent that the Medical Officer has resulted to prescribing her artificial nutrition, PEG feeds, administration. Sally has however refused the artificial feeding, let alone the insertion of the PEG tube. Essentially, Sally is just an exemplar of the numerous cases that nurses’ encounter when patients refuse treatments that could save their lives. Hendrick (2000) indicates that in such cases, nurses, with patients’ best interest at heart question the possibility of employing coercion or other means to make the patient undergo the treatment. Veitch (2007) warns nurses or any medical practitioner on making patients comply with treatment citing that in healthcare, best practices, in reference to legal rights and ethical practices should act as effective tools that should make nurses and other medical practitioners decide on patients that refuse treatment. In addition, every case should be examined individually to decide the best course of action that nurses and the medical practitioners should take. Hence, in deciding on Sally’s case, the key question lies on whether Sally has a legal basis or right, as well as the ethical right of refusing treatment. Respect for autonomy, granted under the individual legal right to refuse or consent treatment automatically grants Sally the legal right to refuse treatment. However, the complexity, in reference to the limited nature of the law and respect for autonomy as an ethical principle coupled with the characteristic of anorexia nervosa, as a psychological disorder that makes a patient incompetent to make medical decisions reveal that against all odds, Sally has no legal right to refuse her treatment.
One of the contributing factors to developing anorexia is an individual’s need to control his or her environment. In my opinion, force feeding a patient who suffers from this serious disorder, would be unethical as well as a violation of the patient’s constitutional rights. The libertarian philosophy of freedom is based on the premise that self-ownership is a basic right and that initiating violence against others is a fundamental wrong. What is self-ownership if not the right to choose what, or how much, to ingest? What is initiating violence against another if not forcibly incarcerating Sally for ingesting too much or too little of a particular substance?

When Sally says “no” to recommended medical technology and treatment, she brings into struggle a confusing array of rights, emotion and obligations. For the patient it is about self- determination and their ability to participate in their own care. The family is often torn between respect for the patient’s right to self-determination or religious ideology and of course the natural desire for their loved one to survive, while the state claims an interest in the value of life and a duty to protect the interest of dependents. Herbert and Weingarten indicate “the standard approach to such dilemmas usually refers to the principles of ethical analysis: patient autonomy
(following a competent patient’s wishes), medical beneficence (helping the patient) and justice

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

The Relationship Between Bulimia Nervosa and Childhood Sexual Abuse

...theme in the back ground of women with bulimia nervosa. This hypothesis has come under much scrutiny and as a result, has been tested and re-tested time and again. Studies have had findings stating everything from, there is no evidentiary support for this hypothesis, to there is a non-specific correlation and yet other studies claim that childhood sexual abuse is a direct risk factor for bulimia nervosa. More recent articles seem to point toward some type of relationship between bulimia nervosa and childhood sexual abuse. The process of finding this information takes some digging. Many search engines (including Medscape, Proquest, and Google’s scholarly article search) were used. Much of the research in this area seems to have been done approximately ten years ago and therefore was not current enough to be used. These older studies also have a common theme in that they tended to lean toward the opinion that bulimia nervosa and childhood sexual abuse are not directly related. The more current articles on this subject agree more with the school of though that bulimia nervosa is closely related to childhood sexual abuse. According to Pearlstein (2002) “Many older studies involved clinical rather than community samples” (p. 5) which may shed some light on why their results showed little to no correlation with bulimia nervosa and childhood sexual abuse. If there is a relationship between childhood sexual abuse and bulimia nervosa, how does the abuse predispose one to becoming...

Words: 1479 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Anorexia Nervosa

...Anorexia nervosa is described by extreme thinness, relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain a healthy weight, extreme fear of gaining weight, distorted body image, severe low self-image that is skewed by their view of their own body weight and shape, lack of menstruation and extreme restrictions of eating (National Institute of Mental Health). According to the text “usually adolescents and three out of four times females – drop sufficiently (typically 15 percent or more) below normal weight” (Myers, 2010, p. 453). Bulimia however is different in that the person usually carries a normal or even healthy weight. “Bulimia nervosa is characterized by recurrent and frequent episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food and feeling a lack of control over these episodes” (National Institute of Mental Health). The Bulimic will binge eat and then compensate by forcing themselves to vomit, they will often use laxatives and diuretics, they will fast, exercise excessively or a combination thereof. In today’s society of stick thin models, underweight actors / actresses and emerging focus on obesity, it is no wonder that more and more people have eating disorders. Hollywood focuses on being thin because the camera adds at least ten pounds. Models, believe they must be stick thin in order walk the runway for the top designers. Television plays an important role in this overall attitude of being thin, perfect example is the Victoria’s Secret versus Lane Bryant...

Words: 364 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Wes and Stuff

...PY 354-Introduction to Psychological Research Spring, 2013 This exam will evaluate how well you understand the material in the class so far. It covers the information presented in Chapters 1-4 of the McBride text, as well as the course notes that I have provided. You may use your book, notes, or outside resources to help you with your exam, but you may NOT consult with each other. Also, do not simply copy/paste information from any source…put things into your own words and use your own examples!!! Evidence of copy/paste or other forms of plagiarism will result in a score of 0 for the exam. If you use an outside source, cite it properly and provide an APA style reference list at the end of your exam. (100 points) Part A: Research Scenarios—Read each scenario carefully. At times, I may ask for a definite answer and at other times, a potential answer. Each scenario is worth 10 points. A researcher wants to examine the effects of LSD on complex learning in rats. One group of rats was given a very small dose that would be unlikely to cause any behavioral effects. The second group of rats was given a larger dose of the drug. Both groups of rats then ran through a complex maze several times. 10/10 a. What is the independent variable (s) and is it a true or subject variable: The independent variable would be the different amounts of LSD given to the rats. This is a true variable. b. What is the dependent variable(s): The dependent variable is the time...

Words: 2221 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Aaaaaaaaa

...Part 1 Glossary Terms Define, in detail, each of these glossary terms from the realm of human biology, in general. If applicable, use examples to support your definitions. Consult your notes or course textbook(s) as references or the Internet by visiting Web sites such as: http://www.askjeeves.com or http://www.google.com (a) Bulimia Nervosa | (b) Anorexia Nervosa | (c) Binge Eating (BED) | (d) Self-Esteem | (e) BMI | (f) Pica | Part 2 Type I or Type II Diabetes??? 1. Describe the differences between Type I Diabetes and Type II Diabetes. 2. What is the name of the hormone produced by the pancreas that reduces blood glucose levels? What is the name of the hormone produced by the pancreas that increases blood glucose levels? 3. Is Type I or Type II Diabetes preventable? Support your answer. 4. What is “worse”: hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia? Part 3 What color is on your plate? 1. Visit the website http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/foods/fn595w.htm#plate. Using the table below, list at least four of the fruits and vegetables per color that appeal to you. Color | Fruit Examples | Vegetable Examples | Red | | | Orange/Yellow | | | Green | | | Blue/Purple | | | White | | | 2. Go the site http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/ and enter your age, your sex, and the time amount of physical activity you perform per day. Click on Show Me to reveal how much...

Words: 331 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Stress Management

...Stress Management Why do people stress and what is stress you may ask? Why do people experience many feelings while they stress? Well I am here to let you know how stress is formed and the disadvantages of stress. I will inform you on how you can manage your stress and keep yourself healthy. Stress is the response of the body to the demands of daily living. Think about the demands you have on your everyday living. There are sources or causes which are called stressors that give demands that cause changes in the body. A stressor can be physical, mental, emotional, social, and even environmental. Stressor responses can be negative or positive. The positive stressor is Eustress, this is a healthy response. Eustress only means that you are not hurting yourself but being active and getting and adequate amount of sleep when you are trying to accomplish something. Distress is the negative response; it is harmful and produces negative results when you are trying to accomplish a goal. There are three stages of stress. The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), which is a series of changes that occur in the body when stress occurs. The first stage is the alarm stage of GAS in which the body gets ready for action. During this stage adrenaline starts to rush, in which the hormones that help your body get ready for emergency. Second is the resistance stage of GAS in which the body attempts to regain balance and return to normal. The final stage is the exhaustion stage, in which there is wear...

Words: 916 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The Feeding Tube

...The Feeding Tube Class HSA 515 Assignment 4: The Feeding Tube Write a 4 to 6 page paper based on your answers to the corresponding questions for the following scenario: Scenario: June, a 34-year-old divorced woman diagnosed with severe anorexia, is hospitalized. Her doctors feel she may need to be placed on a feeding tube soon to save her life. Initially June agreed to the feeding tube. However, in the evening (before the tube has been placed), she became combative, disoriented, and refused to have the feeding tube placed. Her mother and father insisted that the feeding tube be inserted despite her refusal to allow it. Her ex-husband wishes to uphold June’s decision. The hospital administrators seek risk management for legal counsel. Utilize your Showalter textbook and at least two other sources to answer the following questions: 1. Explain how the Patient Bill of Rights applies to this situation. The U.S constitution is called the supreme law of the land because it sets standards against which all other laws are judged. The constitution is a grant of power from the states to the federal government. The constitution is a grant of power from the states to the federal government. This grant of power to the federal government is both express and implied. The U.S congress levy and collect taxes, borrow and coin money, declare war, raise and support armies. Congress may also enact laws that are necessary and proper for exercising these expressive powers. ...

Words: 1436 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Aneorexia

...Jennifer Salinas Nov.16, 2011 Anorexia Professional Development They say beauty is the quality of a person, that it’s not what you look like or where you come from that matters, what matters and makes a person beautiful is who you are, and that defines the grace in a person, if only it were true. Many people suffer with the pressures of their physical appearance. People, especially women fear the judgment of others and let the media set the ideal look that is accepted into our society. This is where the eating disorders such as anorexia manifest. Anorexia Nervosa is a eating disorder that is life-threating. Elements of this disorder involve of a great and intense fear of gaining weight, a body that is 15 percent lower than a normal person’s body, and most of all refuse to except they have a serious illness. People with anorexia keep an extreme low body weight using different methods such as over exercising, eating very limited portions of food, overuse of laxatives, or starvation. Someone with anorexia eat less than 1,000 calories a day. The diet of an anorexic person includes low calorie foods such as carrots, celery, or lettuce, most of the time eating meat is eliminate from there diet. This disorder usually is more common in women than in males. About 90 percent who develop it are women. It tends to develop in the teen years of girls and in young women. People who are dancers, models, actors, and athletes are the most at risk for developing this disorder...

Words: 1403 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Eating Disorder

...Eating Disorders 2 Eating Disorders: It’s Affect on adolescents For many years now, eating disorders have affected many people in our society. Young people being the main target because of the publics’ idea of a person’s size and weight. In our world, society has made people think that people have to look a certain way to fit in. Most women are judge by their appearance and some still dream of the perfect measurement 90-60-90. This disorder affects both females and males, but the female population being the most talked about. Besides the eating disorders knowing that they lose weight or stop weight gain, they don’t knowledge about what the effects are. Researchers have come together to let the truth about eating disorders and what are their health complications. Some of the questions that everyone should have the answers to are: 1.What are the main points of having an eating disorder? 2.What are the medical complications? 3.Who can be at risk? 4.What are the outcomes of an eating disorder treatment right after discharge and about three months later? Journal of adolescent health, nutrition research and eating behaviors have dedicated their time to explain all the factors so they can be accessible to the public. The information is out there to prevent people from suffering of these disorders in the future. As a young woman I find that this topic is to be known about, so that way people know what they are about to deal with to look like some magazine...

Words: 1605 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Music

...ch16 Student: ___________________________________________________________________________ 1. A basic premise of health in early Asian culture was that: A. people have some control over their health. B. gods caused illness and disease. C. magic could cure illness. D. superstition determined treatment. 2. Your_______ plays a critical role in your health and consists of your attitudes, habits, choices, and behaviors. A. genetic potential B. heritage C. lifestyle D. health personality 3. The biological approach to health is being most closely followed when a physician: A. encourages a patient to reduce his/her stress level through relaxation training. B. prescribes a seminar on anger management for a patient with high blood pressure. C. prescribes a cholesterol-lowering drug for a patient with high cholesterol. D. encourages a cancer patient to join a support group. 4. Just a century ago, the leading cause of death was: A. cancer. B. heart disease. C. infectious diseases. D. stroke. 5. In the U.S. today, the number-one cause of death is: A. cancer. B. heart disease. C. infectious diseases. D. stroke. 6. In the U.S. today, the second-leading cause of death is: A. cancer. B. heart disease. C. infectious diseases. D. stroke. 7. Health psychologists endorse the _____________ model, which states that health is best understood in terms of a combination of physical, cognitive, and environmental factors. A. biopsychological ...

Words: 5084 - Pages: 21

Free Essay

This Story of Mine

...This Story of Mine It all started when I was in eighth grade weighing 120 pounds and four feet nine inches tall. During my eighth grade year, I dated a guy who was skinny to the bones. He had no fat nor did he have muscles; he was pretty much a stick. On the other hand, I had a chubby round face with wide fat hips; and let’s just say, a bunch of fat hanging in between. I always thought to myself that I wanted to be skinny so I’ll look good standing next to him. He always told me that I was fat and I would look prettier if I was skinny. I starting thinking and finally came to a conclusion. That was, to break up with him and I did; I was a lot happier, stronger, and more confident. But from then on, I kept his words. For someone who didn’t love me for who I truly was, I decided to transform myself into a different person. Later on, I realized that not only is appearance what matters, but it’s what’s inside that matters the most. When summer began, I started working out every single day and night; I pushed myself really hard for I wanted to look pretty faster. Then, my hard work finally paid off! I lost 20 pounds at the end of my freshman year and weighed 100 pounds with the height of five feet two inches. I was anorexic for three years and never went bulimic; however, I had always thought of becoming bulimic but I was too scared of the causes. I started starving myself, eating less than one meal a day, and drank Special K’s protein drinks. I also exercised every day during the...

Words: 717 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper

...Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper 1 Week 8 Assignment: Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper Savanna Engstrom SCI/241 August 26, 2012 Dr. Mike Collins Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper 2 Body composition is the comparison between muscle and fat in a person’s body. A person’s weight could be high because of either large muscles or having too much extra fat. When a person is overweight because of excess fat, they are at risk of coming down with a variety of very dangerous and life threatening diseases. Excess fat can also cause a person to have a weaker immune system which leads to infections, slower wound healing, and complications during surgery. Extra fat poses a danger to women especially while they are pregnant, and their baby could be threatened as well. There are also psychological aspects of being overweight which can harm a person over time such as becoming depressed, dependent on others, unable to take care of themselves, and possibly developing eating disorders. There are so many factors these days that contribute to the world’s obesity epidemic. The two leading factors, in my opinion, are not eating healthy and not getting the appropriate amount of physical activity. These two factors work together because they go hand in hand: unhealthy food causes people to feel lazy and lack energy, so they sit around and play video games and watch TV rather than go out to play. There is also the fact that many people were never taught how to shop for...

Words: 587 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Bulimia in Teens

...Bulimia in Teens Introduction Eating disorders can take a devastating toll on the lives of many people. This is especially true for teenagers. Many teens, especially girls, develop eating disorders. It is important to understand the causes, symptoms, consequences, and treatment for these types of illnesses’. One of the most common eating disorders in teens is bulimia nervosa. Bulimia nervosa (bulimia) is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder. People with bulimia nervosa may binge and purge, eating large amounts of food and then try to get rid of the extra calories in an unhealthy way. For example, someone with bulimia nervosa may force themselves to vomit or do excessive exercise. If you have bulimia nervosa, you are probably preoccupied with your weight and body shape, and may judge yourself severely and harshly for your self-perceived flaws. Causes The exact cause of bulimia is unknown. As with other mental illnesses, there are many possible factors that could play a role in the development of eating disorders such as bulimia. Genetic, psychological, trauma, family, society, or cultural factors may play a role. Eating disorders like bulimia are more likely to occur in people who have parents or siblings with an eating disorder. Girls and women are more likely to have bulimia than boys and men. Age may play a role in who is affected. Bulimia often begins in late adolescence or early adulthood. The illness is more common in college students...

Words: 1521 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Eating Disorder

...“Eating disorders are one of the many unspoken secrets that affect many families.” (Grohol, 2009) The author of this article, John Grohol, wanted to educate readers of the different types of eating disorders. He also wanted to inform his readers about the dangers of eating disorders and who all eating disorders affect. Eating disorders may be important to the author because eating disorders are becoming very relevant in today’s society. “Millions of Americans are afflicted with this disorder every year, and most of them, up to 90 percent, are adolescent and young women.” (Grohol, 2009) The targeted groups subjected to eating disorders are typically women. The types of eating disorders are anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating. Anorexia is the name for simply starving yourself because you are convinced you are overweight. Bulimia is characterized by excessive eating, and then ridding yourself of the food by vomiting, abusing laxatives or diuretics, taking enemas, or exercising obsessively. Ridding yourself of food is also called purging. Binge eating is when one overly eats, often when that person is not hungry. The person also often eats alone because they are shamed about their excessive eating habits. Eating disorders should be taken very seriously. Most people with eating disorders do not admit to have a serious problem. A lot of the time people who have eating disorders think that something is wrong with their appearance. They are not happy with the way that they look, and...

Words: 251 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Eating, Substance Abuse, Sex/Gender/Sexual, Impulse-Control, and Personality Disorder

...Eating, Substance Abuse, Sex/Gender/Sexual, Impulse-Control, and Personality Disorder Normal behavior is accepted world-wide, but when people show abnormal behavior, it is accepted by the few that may understand why this is their behavior. Abnormal behavior that disrupts an individual’s life on a daily basis can be caused by several disorders. These disorders can very complex at times and some are more devastating to the mind and body than others. In this paper, the biological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components of eating, substance abuse, sex/gender/sexual, impulse-control, and personality disorders will be analyzed. Biological Eating Disorder Genetics and abnormalities in hormones, neurotransmitters, and brain structures are focused on to explain how eating disorders are developed. Studies have shown that identical twins are more likely to have anorexia and bulimia than fraternal twins. However, other studies show that eating disorder symptoms can be greatly influenced by nongenetic factors, such as obsessive-compulsive anxiety disorder and depression. Eating disorders are seen as an extension of obsessive-compulsive anxiety disorder by some clinicians because people may develop the compulsive need for dieting, exercising, or purging as a result of obsessional thoughts about being overweight (Hansell & Damour, 2008). As for hormonal abnormalities, two hormones (leptin and ghrelin) have been the main focus in recent research. Leptin is a hormone...

Words: 2458 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Cultural and Disease Paper

...The Binge-Purge Cycle Bulimia Nervosa is a particularly disturbing behavioral health disorder because the individual is purposely making themselves ill. Bulimia is an eating disorder characterized by periods of eating huge amounts of food, referred to as bingeing, followed by some form of purging behavior to prevent weight gain. There are many different ways to purge, including forced vomiting, fasting, extreme exercise, and abuse of laxatives. The purging behavior can be harmful to their health and cause other health-related problems such as dehydration, tooth enamel erosion, imbalances in electrolytes, heart irregularities, digestion problems, andeven tears in the esophagus or stomach lining. Often bulimics engage in the binge and purge cycle several times a week and become tolerant of the disagreeable experiences of purging. Self-induced vomiting, in particular, causes damage to taste receptors which makes it easier to throw-up due to the insensitivity to many tastes. Many times patients with bulimia report purging gives them a sense of control, in an otherwise stressful or anxious state. It may also be brought on by a traumatic event, with many bulimics also being victims of sexual abuse (Illiades, MD, 2010). Populations and Cultures Effected by Bulimia Nervosa Young women are more likely to develop this disorder. The average onset of bulimia is 20 years old (Hudson, Hiripi, Pope, & Kessler, 2007). The typical bulimic is a young Caucasian female of upper or middle class...

Words: 1101 - Pages: 5