Overview
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The nursing profession has a Code of Ethics that guides professional practice. Nurses have a duty to act with beneficence, nonmaleficence, fidelity, veracity, while providing patients with autonomy and justice. Unfortunately, nurses are often placed in situations that trigger ethical or moral distress. One of these situations may violate one or more ethical principles while attempting to uphold another (Ex: Beneficence vs. Autonomy). The nurse may be a moral spectator observing decisions made by others, while caring for the patient in response to those decisions.The nurse’s personal values and beliefs have the potential to impact their clinical decision-making, as well as their ability and willingness to be a patient advocate.
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Objectives
Students will be able to identify ethical principles involved in a clinical scenario
Students will be able to reflect upon personal ethical beliefs and understand how personal beliefs may influence clinical practice
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For this assignment, you will reflect on your personal values and beliefs regarding a situation whereby a judge countermanded/or supported a patient/family’s wishes.
Choose one of the following cases:
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Mr. B
Ms. JB
Payton Summons
Karen Ann Quinlan
Nancy Cruzan
Introduce your paper with a general statement about the paper, then a purpose statement. A purpose statement starts with: The purpose of this paper is to discuss . . .then the key elements of what you are going to discuss. This paragraph should identify and briefly describe the case you will be discussing. Next, discuss the following:
1) Identify and describe the ethical principles involved in this case.
2) Describe the social and economic consequences of reversing this decision.
3) Discuss guidance from the Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements that sheds light on this situation. Which provisions provide guidance? How can it be interpreted to guide decision making (and the role of the nurse regardless of the decision) in this case?
4) Discuss how your personal values/beliefs and core ethical beliefs may impact you professionally, as a result of this situation.
Finally, provide a conclusion.
– Your paper should be not more than 750 words.
– Your paper should be in proper 7th Edition APA Format and include a title page and properly formatted references.
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Points: 20
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References:
A minimum of 3 peer-reviewed references (one should be the ANA’s Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements)
Words Limits
Minimum 600 words
