Ethical Implications in Practice The embodiment of Nursing is caring and compassion, the prevention of illness, lessening any discomforts and the protection, betterment and reclamation of health. Ethics has been an essential part of the framework of the healthcare provider and it is idiosyncratic, self reflective and abiding. Another essential part is confidentiality, for the healthcare provider and patient this helps gain trust and open communication, ensuring that the best possible care can be given.
For many years now, dating back to 1893 the Nightingale pledge has been a guide for nurses, “ I will do all in my power to elevate the standard of my profession and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my profession” (ANA, 2013).
In this paper this writer will address the ethical ramifications of a breach of confidentiality, provide insight on the ethical theory from “Betraying Trust or Providing Good Care” from the reading and how to address the dilemma along with how an ethics committee might approach the situation.
In ones professional journey, a nurse may encounter-varying types of patients and diverse family structures all bringing forth new and sometimes conflicting situations. One area that the medical profession takes very seriously is patient confidentiality. Confidentiality is a fundamental part of professional tradition that protects human rights. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2012) reflects that people have a right to expect that information given to a nurse or midwife is only used for the purpose for which if was given and will not be disclosed without permission.
The Term Paper on Nurse to patient Ratios
Nurse-to-Patient Ratios The healthcare in United States deals with many internal issues that the general public used to be unaware of, until recent times. Still, upon seeing nurses going on strike, most of the people conclude that it has only to do with their demands of better wages and additional social benefits, while in fact, this matter is much more complicated. Majority of nurses demand that ...
Implications of breach of confidentiality can have a compelling impact on the nurse/patient relationship and construct an ethical dilemma. By disclosing patient health information problems may arise on a multitude of levels: personal, legal, and professional. This generally occur unintentionally and the healthcare provider may be unaware it constitutes a violation. For nurse Hathaway in the article “Betraying Trust or Providing Good Care? hich is based on the TV show ER, a breach of confidence happened after 14 year-old Andrea confided in nurse Hathaway about partaking in sex parties, nurse Hathaway feels she needs to inform the school of Andres’s situation. Telling the parents will allow Andrea to obtain treatment for her disease and as hard as it may be this is the right decision. Unfortunately Andrea tries to take her life because of this for breaching confidentiality. Ethical theories have differing implications and it is hard to say if any one particular theory will account for every situation that comes to light.
Deontology suggests that treating all patients the same no matter their disease process, age, background, etc. is ones obligation to the adherence of rules set forth (Cline, 2013).
Utilitarianism is about telling the truth when it provides more good than harm (utilitarian. org, n. d. ).
Nurse Hathaway’s actions are like those of Deontology and Utilitarianism. Her ethical framework finds it a necessity to break Andrea’s confidentiality. Being this is a public issue nurse Hathaway feels it a necessity to perform her duty by bringing forth the situation at hand.
Informing the school and Andrea’s parents will ensure the befitting course of therapy and avoid any further injury for the teen and community. The cognizance on making ethical decisions can be achieved by considering intrinsic ethical concepts, ethical beliefs, a model for decision-making and the code of ethics for nursing. When breaking a promise a dilemma of faithfulness occurs, as such the nurse breached confidentiality in the assigned reading by not keeping her promise to Andrea. For the application of Uustal’s framework, nurses must use applicable reports and information to augment patient care and bring about the desired outcome.
The Essay on Building An Ethical School
When reflecting on what I have read in the book Building an Ethical School by Robert J. Star ratt, and the information obtained from my current Ethics and Social Responsibilities class, I feel I have an abundance of valuable information that will guide me in creating an ethical school environment when I am a school leader. When I think of an ethical school, I envision a school where all members of ...
Step 1- Those involved in the dilemma are the teenagers, their parents, students at the school and nurse Hathaway. The dilemma is whether to inform the school and parents of the sexual behaviors and Andrea’s diagnosis. Step 2- The school needs to be alerted about the type of sexual conduct involving multiple partners without disclosing the parties involved. Step 3- To protect the community from the spread of HPV, which is related to promiscuity, is the issue related to the situation.
A possible answer to the dilemma is to inform the school of the activities occurring without divulging names. Step 4- Nurse Hathaway notifies the school about the girl’s activities but should of kept it anonymous and only discussed the multi partner sex parties happening. Step 5- Teaching the risk, prevention and treatment of STD’s is imperative. Step 6- The antecedence should have been at alerting the school of the activities happening and not associate names with this. Step 7- Relaying concerns about multiple sex partners should have been nurse Hathaway’s main focus.
Step 8/9- Had this model been followed, nurse Hathaway’s concerns could have been made, education started and Andrea’s privacy maintained. This writer feel that Andrea should have been encouraged to tell her parents after educating her on what cervical cancer was. If this did not elicit a response then telling the parents is the correct thing to do. Utilization of an ethics committee can give skilled insight, looking into the rights of the patient and mediate between patients and healthcare workers ensuring that the appropriate decision for the patient was met.
The ethics committee has the edge since this is their focus. By using a collaborative approach and applying ruling from previous cases along with ethical theories gives an advantage to producing the best possible outcome for all parties involved. In this writer’s years of patient care, dilemmas have arisen causing a need to look at both ones personal ethical boundaries and the Code of Ethics set forth. When these conflict, utilizing other skilled practitioners or the ethics committee might be needed to help solve the dilemma.
The Essay on Personal Ethics
Personal ethics comes from inside and are influenced by our everyday life and people around us. The directions we obtain as a child helps to form and begin our awareness of ethics. My upbringing memoirs and experiences instilled a well-built belief in family structure and significance of family in general. I was fortunate to be born and brought up in India in a traditional Roman Catholic family. ...
Our job as a nurse is to do no harm and this may be maintaining confidentiality and privacy. References ANA (2013).
Florence Nightingale Pledge, American Nurses Association (ANA).
Retrieved from http://nursingworld. org/FunctionalMenuCategories/AboutANA/WhereWeComeFrom/FlorenceNightingalePledge. aspx Cline, A. (2013).
Deontology and Ethics: What is Deontology, Deontological Ethics? About. com Guide. Retrieved from http://atheism. about. com/od/ethicalsystems/a/Deontological. htm Defining utilitarianism (n. d. ).
Differing definitions. Retrieved from http://www. utilitarian. org/definitions. html Nathanson, P. (2000).
Betraying Trust or Providing Good Care? When is it okay to break confidentiality? The American Journal of Bioethics. Retrieved from http://web. archive. org/web/20110706061843/http://www. bioethics. net/articles. php? viewCat=7&articleId=133 NMC (2012).
Confidentiality, Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC).
Retrieved from http://www. nmc-uk. org/Nurses-and-midwives/Advice-by-topic/A/Advice/Confidentiality/
