Nursing Ethics

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how nurses are required to make many immediate decisions in their assigned duties and how unfortunately, in recent years, patient care has often been compromised as a nursing shortage crisis has escalated to epic proportions, increased patient loads have resulted in often hasty nursing decisions as responsibilities and hours worked have increased. As a result, nurses are held accountable for a variety of decisions in nursing practice and in many instances, a patient's life depends on such decisions to survive. It presents a fictional scenario and analyzes the situations that often lead to a compromise of quality patient care and radical ethical decision-making processes in nursing practice.

Outline
Introduction
Data Collection and Assessment of Data
Problem Identification
Consideration of Possible Actions
Decision and Selection of Course of Action
Reflection on Decision
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"In relation to utilitarian principles, the potential health of the patient affected and the overall happiness of the nurse are in question. The nurse is experiencing feelings of guilt over her chart omission but she does not want to take the risk of jeopardizing her nursing career through disciplinary action. Furthermore, the patient's bruising is likely to heal in time and it appears that no further internal damage to the arm veins has occurred. Therefore, this particular incident is likely to have no effect on the patient's overall recovery from abdominal surgery. However, the nurses' decision is likely to affect her future decisions and actions regarding patient care. She is likely to be more careful and attentive her responsibilities directly related to patient care and will need to develop a priority system of managing her workload. The nurse is not likely to be questioned regarding her chart notes as the patient does have a history of mental instability and his agitation likely provoked his action."

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