...Ethical Dilemma: Disclosure of confidential information and a duty to protect The job of a nurse is multifaceted. They are leaders, they are teachers, and they provide therapeutic nurse-client relationships. According to a recent poll conducted by Gallup (Newpart, 2012, para. 1), it should come as no surprise that the nursing profession is viewed as the most trusted profession where honesty and ethical standards are concerned. Nursing, like many other professional industries, have standards of practice in which to guide their decisions by providing frameworks for resolving issues. However, according to Walton (2013), with the growing complexity of ethical dilemmas now facing our health care system, nurses are often left asking: “what should we do, [rather than,] what can we do” (as cited in Black, 2014). What is certain is that ethical and...
Words: 1816 - Pages: 8
...#7b #69 #79 #113a Indeed, “Nurses have an ethical responsibility to safeguard information obtained in the context of the nurse-client relationship. When clients entrust their health care and health information to a nurse, they expect and rely on it being kept confidential.” (College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia, 2016, Privacy and Confidentiality section, para. 3) For example, when I was a student nurse and had my nursing clinical at one of the biggest public hospital, I was assigned at the Medical Ward where I took care of a diabetic client with a diabetic foot wound, which was smelly, gangrenous, and edematous. Since it was a public ward, there were a lot of patients in the ward and only curtains separate the bed from one...
Words: 529 - Pages: 3
...Description of the actions you would take Lena is in a complicated situation; there are several ethical principles at stake. Respect for her sister’s boyfriends’ autonomy in addition to the principles of beneficence, to do good as well as avoid harm. Nonmaleficence, the intention of doing good although some harm may come. The principles of justice, to protect her sister from a possible life threating disease. As a registered nurse we are bound by both legal and ethical obligations that we must contend with before we react to a situation. Laws are commands, the consequences for not obeying the law is a loss of a license to practice nursing. And ethics are the systematic study of morality with no room for opinions or gut reactions (Laureate...
Words: 636 - Pages: 3
...Professional Moral Compass Ethics, a branch of philosophy refers to the values for human conduct, considering the rightness and wrongness of actions and motives. As nursing profession is an integral part of the health care environment, the nursing ethics provides the insight to the values and ethical principles governing nursing practice, conduct, and relationships. The Code of Ethics for Nurses, adopted by the American Nurses' Association (ANA) is intended to provide definite standards of practice and conduct that are essential to the ethical discharge of the nurse's responsibility (American Nurses Association, 2012). A nurse cultivates personal ethics through personal, cultural and spiritual values which becomes a moral compass for their professional ethics. Personal ethics in combination with the code of ethics often assist the nurses in personal and social decision making during ethical dilemma. This ability prompts them to better respond to needs of the suffering patient and their own well-being. This paper will discuss the personal, cultural, and spiritual values contributing to nurses’ individual worldview and philosophy of nursing and the moral and ethical dilemma being faced in this profession. Values Contributing to Individual’s Worldview and Philosophy of Nursing Born in a Christian middle class South Indian family, the strict traditional values helped to embed the concept of service, trust, respect, integrity and responsibility through family, friends, education...
Words: 1982 - Pages: 8
...A professional moral compass is something everyone has and lives by. In the nursing practice, an individual’s personal, cultural, and spiritual values contribute to their worldview and philosophy of nursing. One’s personal values, philosophy, and worldview may conflict with his or her obligation to practice, creating an ethical dilemma. In addition, personal values in regard to the morals and ethical dilemmas faced in the health care field affect behavior and decision making. My personal, cultural, and spiritual beliefs all revolve around my origin. I was born and raised in India and it was drilled into me that I should give it my best in everything. As I grew up and went to nursing school this was my main motivation and inspiration. Now in the U.S. practicing nursing, I have made it a point to give it my all when caring for patients and families. Other values that contribute to my worldview and philosophy of nursing are integrity and responsibility. I try to be consistent with my actions, methods, principles, and expectations. Also, I have learned to take responsibility for everything I say and do. Although it can be hard to take the blame, I have understood that taking responsibility makes us work harder and helps us better attain our goals. These values have influenced my nursing practice in that when I care for a patient, I try to give the same quality of care I would want if I was in their place. Also, respect is an underrated discipline and showing respect to patients and...
Words: 820 - Pages: 4
... Personal Ethics of Nursing Crystal Kingcade Grand Canyon University Ethical Decision Making in Health Care NRS 437V April 30, 2010 Personal Ethics of Nursing Ethics in nursing is a set of principles relating to what is morally right or wrong. It is used in the health care field as a standard of conduct or code for how healthcare workers should behave. As nurses it allows us to analyze information and make the best decisions based on what we believe is right and good conduct. Everyday nurses are faced with making ethical decisions when providing quality care to their patients. However, as nurses we must be able to identify our personal values and morals to be able to make the best decision in regards to the ethical dilemmas. Values, Morals and Ethics play a vital role in influencing the nurse-patient relationship because each one determines the behavior on how the nurse and patient respond to the relationship and issue. As nurses we use our beliefs such as values, morals and ethics to guide us on how we should act and to determine the choices we must make. Personal ethics is very vital in the art of nursing. As nurses it is important to know and be able to identify the values of nursing for the safety of the patient and nursing practice. The purpose of this paper is to identify how an individual’s worldview and philosophy of nursing affect their values, morals and ethics in the art of nursing. Health is best known...
Words: 1141 - Pages: 5
...January 8, 2012 Professional Moral Compass Ethics, a branch of philosophy refers to the values for human conduct, considering the rightness and wrongness of actions and motives. As nursing profession is an integral part of the health care environment, the nursing ethics provides the insight to the values and ethical principles governing nursing practice, conduct, and relationships. The Code of Ethics for Nurses, adopted by the American Nurses' Association (ANA) is intended to provide definite standards of practice and conduct that are essential to the ethical discharge of the nurse's responsibility (American Nurses Association, 2012). A nurse cultivates personal ethics through personal, cultural and spiritual values which becomes a moral compass for their professional ethics. Personal ethics in combination with the code of ethics often assist the nurses in personal and social decision making during ethical dilemma. This ability prompts them to better respond to needs of the suffering patient and their own well-being. This paper will discuss the personal, cultural, and spiritual values contributing to nurses’ individual worldview and philosophy of nursing and the moral and ethical dilemma being faced in this profession. Values Contributing to Individual’s Worldview and Philosophy of Nursing Born in a Christian middle class South Indian family, the strict traditional values helped to embed the concept of service, trust, respect, integrity and responsibility through family...
Words: 996 - Pages: 4
...Implementing ethico-legal issues in nursing practice. Caldwell, E., Lu, H., & Harding, T. (2010). Encompassing multiple moral paradigms: a challenge for nursing educators. Nursing Ethics 17(2), 189-199. Retrieved August3, 2010, from Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition Database. Aim: As society becomes increasingly globalised, it is imperative to include international educational perspectives in the nursing profession (Robinson, Sportsman, Eschiti, Bradshaw and Bol, (2006). Caldwell, Lu & Harding (2010) argue that the quality of nursing care necessitates nurses to reflect on nursing ethics in relation to their individual principled way of life. Cadwell, Lu & Harding (2010) paper explores these ideas. Summary: The fundamental nature of professional development implies personal development (Glen, 2005). ‘Encompassing multiple moral paradigms: a challenge for nursing educators’, is an in-depth analysis of nursing ethical dilemmas; the efforts that are undertaken to implement professional development through reflection, self-monitoring and self-control; and the challenges for nurse educators to integrate the syllabus into real-life clinical practice situations. Caldwell, Lu & Harding (2010) study analyses nursing ethics, Chinese ethical philosophies, and Judeo/Christian traditions as they endeavour to demonstrate the real-life issues of morally conflicting situations in nursing practice within these groups and the possible legal consequences. Relevant to topic yes/no...
Words: 1039 - Pages: 5
...My Professional Moral Compass Pamela Chesnut Grand Canyon University Ethical Decision Making in Health Care NRS 437V July 26, 2012 My Professional Moral Compass A professional moral compass is something everyone has and lives by. It helps assist in making decisions and is based on morals or virtues. My personal moral compass is directed by various inspirations, passions, and values that I try to live by. Compassion, loyalty, integrity, honor, faithfulness, hard work, service unto others, self-discipline, accountability, and a good sense of humor contribute to my worldview and philosophy of nursing. I try to give the same quality of care to all patients and their family members, which I would want to be given as if it were I or my loved one. A nurse uses their professional moral compass to make the best decisions for their patient. Nursing is all about the patients and without values, morals, and ethics nurses lose the focus on the patients. Values are the moral principles and beliefs or accepted standards of a person or social group (“Value“, n.d.). Values are important because they can help influence decisions, actions, even nurse’s ethical decision making. Morals in nursing are the principles of behavior in accordance with standards of right and wrong. Ethics is about what kind of persons we are becoming – our character and how our choices shape us (“Ethics”, n.d.). The ethics of nursing is the nurse's obligation to respect the human rights of the patient and...
Words: 730 - Pages: 3
...also be said as personal. Discerning the right and wrong when facing dilemmas can be the simplest way of describing the ethics. Ethics begin with the moral reasoning of the individual and as the moral reasoning of the individual can be formed by the individual's cultural, religious, social and educational values and backgrounds. So the ethics can be personal to each individual and it may not be possible to have different individuals share identical ethical values although similarities could be possible. Like many professions, nursing also have the code of ethics to assist the professionals to resolve the dilemmas and discern between the accepted and non accepted practises. The nursing profession, like many other professions, has its own code of ethics to help the nurses to determine the acceptable and non acceptable situations and actions, the rights and responsibilities that are approved by the nursing board and society. (Garrett, Baillie, McGeehan, & Garret, 2010). The protection of individual’s rights is well defined in the code of ethics while it also set forth a standard of care for the patients under the professional care of the nurses. In this essay, the writer is attempting to discuss the impacts of one’s personal, spiritual and cultural aspects on the ethical situations of the professional nursing practice. Personal, cultural, and spiritual principles and outlook of the world and nursing philosophy. Principles or values are policies that the individuals use...
Words: 1211 - Pages: 5
...other health care providers are constantly challenged to make ethical decisions about life and death issues in providing care to individuals, families and communities. To be relevant and ethical, these decisions need to be considered in the broader context of personal, societal, cultural and professional values and ethical principles (Fry & Johnstone, 2002). Tesfamicael GhebrehiwetThe nursing profession uses regulatory mechanisms, codes of ethics and other means to ensure ethical behavior. For example, The ICN Code of Ethics for Nurses asserts, “Inherent in nursing is respect for human rights, including the right to life, to dignity and to be treated with respect” (ICN, 2000, p. 2). To locate ethical issues within the context of nursing, it is vital to understand the International Council of Nurses (ICN) definition of nursing itself: “Nursing encompasses autonomous and collaborative care of individuals of all ages, families, groups and communities, sick or well and in all settings. Nursing includes the promotion of health, prevention of illness, and the care of ill, disabled, and dying people. Advocacy, promotion of a safe environment, research, participating in shaping health policy and in patient and health systems management, and education are also key nursing roles” (ICN, 2005). This definition incorporates the three components of bioethics as outlined by Fry and Johnstone (2002), including norms of nursing practice, expansion of knowledge, and advocacy or policy development...
Words: 1484 - Pages: 6
...Ethical Framework in Practice Nursing is an admirable, dignified career. Nurses respect the self-sufficiency and self-esteem of all their patients in every matter. Patients share their confidential information to the nurses, because they trust the nurse. Nurses care for the sick and needy population. Nurses take care of the patient’s deepest and painful needs in an intimate way compared to other disciplines in the health care team (Nazarko, 2009). Nurses frequently encounter ethical dilemmas and issues related to providing confidential information. This paper analysis is about the ethical recommendations on breach of privacy act between the nurses and the patient. Hippocratic Oath evidently explains about the importance of confidentiality in medical ethics. The oath is like this," That whatsoever I shall see or hear of the lives of my patients that are not fitting to be spoken, I will keep in confidence" (Hippocratic Oath, 2010). In Nightingale’s pledge for nursing, says that ‘‘I will hold in confidence of all personal matters in the practice of nursing” (Gretter, 1893). All nurses take Nightingale’s pledge at their graduation oath. Nurses are dedicated to provide better care for their patient based on their patient’s values and beliefs to maintain confidentiality. The provision of health care is comprehensive and people’s needs are often complex. Modern technology has made advanced changes in healthcare. With the many advances changes in health care a equivalent...
Words: 978 - Pages: 4
...The foundation of nursing is molded by ethics and values. Nurses provide nursing care for the sick and suffering. Nurses are highly efficient in planning; implementing and evaluating the nursing care for the patient. They are efficient in decision-making and have adequate technical skills. Nurses provide compassionate care for the patient and families during the time of treatment. Nurses are very cautious while assessing their patient to assure that they get the accurate treatment, and to avoid unwanted treatment leading to suffering. Nurses provide safe environment for the patient, family and protect the patient privacy. Nurses must advance the knowledge of profession by education, and they implement these knowledge in planning, implementing and evaluating the patient care. They are able to collaborate with other health care professionals in promoting health and welfare of the individual, families, communities, nation and world to bring a social change by extending towards health related socio- cultural issues (The American Nurses Association, 2010). My philosophy of nursing has derived from what I believe to be a core nursing characteristics. The concept of my personal philosophy-nursing carrier was derived from the value system, and the influence of academic and clinical instructors of my profession. The principles of my philosophy are, reverence, awareness, compassion, morality, encouragement, holism, critical thinking...
Words: 1155 - Pages: 5
...patients. They state that the administrator must always be respectful and honest, follow all rules and regulations, never exploit any professional relationship, and never discriminate or allow discrimination against patients ("American Academy of Medical Administrators", 2012). Administrative ethical issues continue to occur despite having the code of ethics in place. This paper will reflect on an ethical dilemma between administration and an employee as well as, discuss the solution to the dilemma. Administrative Issue A registered nurse, working as a flex pool nurse in a hospital, diverts narcotics to reduce anxiety and stress in her job. She signed out medication to patients that had not requested it and she substituted saline for drugs in syringes. When her actions were discovered she was confronted by her own administrator and the administrator of the unit she was assigned too. The nurse confessed to her behavior and asked for help, which was granted with a leave of absence and rehabilitation. The administrative issue at hand is whether the administrators should disclose confidential information concerning an employee to safeguard the patients and promote competent nursing care (Badzek, Mitchell, Marra, & Bower, 1998). The Impact If confidentiality is not maintained the nurses dignity and respect for person could be compromised and her inability to maintain privacy will deny her right to expression of autonomy. Revealing information about this nurse could...
Words: 1183 - Pages: 5
...genes but whom we are is greatly influenced by our physical surroundings, our parents or family, and our cultural and spiritual beliefs. I have been fortunate enough to be born in the United States, which has provided me with many riches in life to include education. This education provides me with the resources necessary to make sound clinical decisions about my nursing practice. My morality is based on guidelines that have become a natural language and behavior that has instilled how things ought to be and society has accepted. (Purtilo & Doherty, 11/2010, p. 6) I am a practicing Catholic, which deeply influences how I respect life and how I contribute to the community in which I live. Christian values and morals are guiding principles, which help us lead our community and make it strong. As stated in the Bible, “In order for God’s word to take root, believers must do more than merely listen to it. They must act upon it.” (King James, 1:17-18) Simple guiding principles such as these lead us in life, community and our professions. When we provide care we are not only using our clinical skills we are using moral ethical thought to assist us in what is right or wrong for our patients. Has the physician really listened to what the patient is stating their desires are? We are with our patients continuously listening and adapting the care we provide. Secondly, God has provided the gift to conceive and ending life during development prior to birth is a well-known societal controversy...
Words: 1326 - Pages: 6
