Question

Discuss the ethical principles.

Provide an example, related to healthcare, for each ethical principle.

Answer 1

Answer :

Nursing Ethics is a guide which is carrying out nursing responsibilities in a manner regular and consistent with quality nursing care and the ethical obligations . Ethical values are must for all nurses and healthcare workers. Ethical principle in general, are moral principles that shows how a person will carry the work delegated. Code of ethics help as a guide nursing practice.Even though the code of ethics is primarily ethics-related, it also has legal implications which has to be followed strictly. Nurse character is determined by their actions which are driven by ethical competencies. Which include : caring, fairness, respect , loyality, integrity, honesty,law abiding, and most important honesty. These are principles, represented to public which work as a tool to work properly.

Ethical Principles are:

1. Autonomy : Recognizing each individual patient’s right and decision making is called autonomy. Autonomy and patient self-determination are when the nurse accepts the client as a unique person who has the innate right to have their own opinions, perspectives, values and beliefs. Nurses encourage patients to make their own decision without any judgments or coercion from the nurse. The patient has the right to reject or accept all treatments.Nurse ensure every patient receive all medical information, education in order to choose best for them. Some of patient may refuse medical treatment on basis of sexual orientation, age, gender,general health. It is important for nurse to support the patient in their medical terms and ensure that the medical team is remembering their personal needs.

Example : a nurse can initiate a teaching plan for a caregiver at home who does not understand when or how to interpret the patient's symptoms or does not know when to decide to administer a medication.

2. Justice :Treating others with equality and fairly comes in justice. Fairness in all medical and nursing decisions and care comes in justice. This is  must for nurses to care for all patients with the same level of fairness despite the individual's financial abilities, race, religion, gender, and/or sexual orientation. All patients have a right to be treated fair and equally by others. Justice involves how people are treated when their interest competes with others.

Example : of this is when working at an AIDS clinic or diabetes screening clinic. These are open to all individuals in the community regardless of the previously mentioned factors.

3. Beneficence : Beneficence means do good and promotes actions that benefit the patient. Beneficence is acting for the good and welfare of others and including such attributes as kindness and charity. Beneficence is defined as kindness and charity, which requires action on the part of the nurse to benefit others. This duty of particular treatment describing beneficence. Healthcare workers demonstrate this by providing a balance of benefits against risks to the patient. Assisting patients with tasks that they are unable to perform on their own, keeping side rails up for fall precautions, or providing medications in a quick and timely manner are all examples of beneficence.The American Nurses Association defines this as “actions guided by compassion.”

Example :  Performing daily tasks for patients who are unable to carry them out alone. Providing pain medication as soon as possible to an injured patient in the emergency room, another is demonstrating this ethical principle is by holding a dying patient's hand.

4. Nonmaleficence : Nonmaleficence is to do no harm.Patients have a right to no harm. Non-maleficence requires that nurses avoid causing harm to patients This is the most well known of the main principles of nursing ethics. More specifically, it is selecting interventions and care that will cause the least amount of harm to achieve a beneficial outcome. The principle of nonmaleficence ensures the safety of the patient and community in all care delivery. Nurses are also responsible to report treatment options that are causing significant harm to a patient which may include suicidal or homicidal ideations.

Example :  Stopping a medication that is causing harmful side effects, or discontinuing a treatment strategy that is not effective and may be harmful by discussing an sign and symptoms with duty doctor.

5. Health maximisation : The nurse,helps in research and scholarly inquiry, professional standards development, and the generation of both nursing and health policy. The nurse has authority, accountability, and responsibility for nursing practice; makes decisions; and takes action consistent with the obligation to provide optimal patient care. The nurse through its professional organization, articulates nursing values, maintain the integrity of the profession, and integrate principles of social justice into nursing and health policy.

6. Fidelity :  Notions of loyalty, commitment, and trust in the relationship.Fidelity is keeping one's promises. The nurse must be faithful and true to their professional promises and responsibilities by providing high quality, safe care in a competent manner.  It means to be faithful to agreements and promises. Nurses have responsibilities to clients, employers, government and society.

Example:   nurses often make promises such as “I’ll be right back with your pain medications” or “I’ll find out for you”. Clients take such promises seriously and nurses are obligated to respond within an appropriate time frame.