EXEMPLAR

Exemplar



Exemplar

Preamble

Based on the 9th provision of the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses (2008) which states that, the profession of nursing as represented by associations and their members, is responsible for articulating values for maintaining the integrity of the profession and its practice, and for shaping the society,” this exemplar elaborates on the ethical duties of a nurse when it comes to informed consent.

Nursing Code of Ethics

The nursing code of ethics which is discussed in this exemplar case is informed consent.

Code's Impact on Nurses' Professional Decision

Based on the identified nursing code of ethics, nurses are not at liberty to make their own decision in situations like the one described in this case. Obtaining consent is an ethical and legal obligation for a nurse, because it is necessary to inform certain people associated with the client, before performing the procedure. All information provided in consent must include the important aspects the treatment, for instance, nature of treatment, its benefits and associated risks, consequences of not having the treatment (Langowski, 2005).

Consent

Obtaining consent is an ethical and legal obligation for a nurse, because it is necessary to inform certain people associated with the client, before performing the procedure. If the medical practitioner or specialist provides information regarding the treatment to a person asking him/her to make a decision, it is an informed consent. Moreover, if a person receives further information about his/her treatment upon request, it is also an informed consent. All information provided in consent must include the important aspects the treatment, for instance, nature of treatment, its benefits and associated risks, consequences of not having the treatment and so on

Fundamentally consents are of three types:

Consent for Treatment: If consent for starting any treatment, requires permission, except for some emergency situation treatments, the healthcare practitioner involved in conducting the treatment would be held responsible for it. It is his duty to make sure that the treatment starts only with the consent of the client. This consent should inculcate all the required information about the treatment and should not be obtained through fraud or misrepresentation.

Consent to Admission to a Care Facility: This consent is necessary to obtain whenever admission to a care facility is required as per the federal law.

Consent to Personal Assistance: This consent is not required by law; however, it can be obtained from a substitute decision maker, in cases, where the recipient of personal assistance service is incapable of giving consent. The substitute decision maker should be according to the hierarchy mentioned in the Health Care Consent Act (HCCA).

People from whom consent can be obtained are of 3 basic types:

Substitute Decision Maker: These are people identified by HCCA, who can sign the consent on behalf of people who are incapable of doing this. Two blood relations, two partners (those who have lived with the person for at least a year, or have a personal relationship of primary importance in the lives of both people) and spouses are in the list of substitute decision ...