Ethical Challenges and Legal Implications
Nurses are faced with many ethical challenges every day. Along with those ethical
challenges there are legal implications that encompass these challenges. The two ethical
chal
...
Ethical Challenges and Legal Implications
Nurses are faced with many ethical challenges every day. Along with those ethical
challenges there are legal implications that encompass these challenges. The two ethical
challenges, as well as the legal implications of these challenges, I chose to discuss are end of life
care and incompetent staff.
End of life care is an ethical challenge nurses in my organization have to deal with from
time to time. Autonomy of the patient at the end of life is a very important part of the patients
care. Allowing the patient to make their own choice of what is best for them in their care is their
right (Denisco & Barker, 2016). Being an advocate for the patient right to choose is the nurse’s
ethical duty. Regardless of the patient’s ability to function or how close they are to dying the
nurse is required to respect the rights and dignity of all patients or all people in general. A
patient’s unique values, preferences, and needs are key
components to guide patient centered care through the nursing process. For nurses
ethically this can be hard to deal with sometimes due to patient’s families not wanting to honor
the patient’s choice to not be resuscitated. With anAdvanced Directive, a legally recognized
document, on file for the patient this prevents family from overriding the patient’s choice and
protects the staff from legal ramifications for honoring the patient’s choice (American Nurses
Association, 2015).
Incompetent Staff is another ethical challenge a nurse in my organization will have to
work with. Nurses are dealt with the ethical dilemma of figuring out whether to inform
management about the unsafe practices of the nurse or not saying anything at all. This can be a
difficult decision if the nurses are friends. Close bonds are made among nurses due to the
stressful situations they are placed in on a daily basis. They are a team and rely on each other.
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