Moral And Ethical Issues In Nursing

Moral and Ethical Issues in Nursing

Introduction

Nursing is a significant branch of health care system. The responsibilities of this branch extend beyond the scope of doctrines and principles of health care system. For every healthcare organization there is a code of ethical conduct and values. These ethics are values and principles used within the healthcare framework that helps to manage its activities and decision within the framework of strategies that can serve in best possible interest to the people. The framework of the code of ethics directs the effective management of the dynamics of healthcare in regards with its programs, policies, goals and decisions concerning those goals. The ethical philosophy a particular healthcare department follows to conduct the business has great impact on its productivity, reputation and ultimately its achievements. Healthcare provides specially nurses and doctors who abide by the ethical implications, formulate an ethical care delivery culture. The fact that ethical code of conduct is very critical to the appropriate healthcare provision by nurses cannot be denied. This shows that why it is important to consider any ethical issue raised during healthcare provision activities.

The document discusses the ethical dilemmas faced by the Nurses in today's world. It discusses those dilemmas under the light of exemplary situations that took place in some former years in my personal experiences. The content of the document is designed to explore the ethical dimensions of the issues related with those dilemmas and in turn develops comprehensive and profound understanding of the ethical and moral framework.

Discussion

Working as a nurse I confronted an issue related to confidentiality. Following is the case that I experienced: “X visited genito urinary clinic at hospital for his check up and was informed of the presence of HIV positive in his reports. X was suggested he should inform his wife about his disease. X then started his treatment. X was married since past eighteen months and the couple was expected to have a baby in coming two months. X was in a sexual relationship with a number of people before and did not inform his wife about HIV. I knew about the upcoming child birth of X and his wife and explained to him that he should take certain measures to determine whether his wife and the baby are HIV positive or not and if there are any chances of the baby having this disease then immediate steps should be taken for the baby's treatment. X refused to do so and even said that if his wife, by any chance, got informed about all this without his permission he might discontinue the treatment.”

Ethical Decision Making Model

There are certain steps that one must consider before actually taking decision. The decision making model I approached was based on seven basic steps.

Each and every background information given by patient was analyzed, it is the core responsibility of nurse to carry out detailed counseling sessions and question patient in appropriate ways to gather the required ...