Ethical and Legal Issues

Ethical and Legal Issues in Nursing Over the abide several decades, professional breast feeding has evolved and changed because of the influence of respectable and legal issues. in that respect may be a variety of reasons for the changes. Examples in changes be advances in medical technology, legal changes about abortion and euthanasia, a push toward unhurried righteousnesss and litigation, and ever decreasing resources in which to provide nursing cautiousness. With only these influences change pull off, it has become increasingly difficult to have a true correspondence of the direction nursing should take when faced with moral, honourable, and legal issues.Examination of person-to-person moral and ethical motive along with utilization of available resources testament no doubt aid absorbs in sorting out feelings, strategizing for the long-suffering and families, and providing commission to give the vanquish c are possible. One resource available is the American Nur ses Association, they have get under ones skined a economy of ethics that should act as a guide in directing give care and solving the estimable and legal dilemmas that surface. When applying the code of ethics resource think abouts can assist their tolerants families in making cognizant decisions as well as understand their ingest and their colleagues responsibilities.By examining two case scenarios, the first involving break of life decisions, the second involving nursing conduct, the application of the code of ethics, the legal aspects, and the sop ups responsibilities would be better understood. It is prudent to begin by examining the legal responsibilities of the nourish in the work setting. A Registered Nurse carries a legal province in the work setting. A cling to has a commitment to the safety of the uncomplaining and must be aware of inappropriate practice. All nurses have ethical duties to the patients they serve.According to the American Nurses Association a nurse promotes, advocates for, and strives to protect the health, safety, and rights of the patient (ANA, 2001, p. 18). If an action is taken that poses harmful effect on a patients health this needs to be immediately account to a higher authority within the workplace or if necessary to a suitable outside authority. A nurse must be responsible for his or her individual nursing practice. The nurses trade is to discern anyone with questionable practice.All workplaces have guidelines set in place for these types of events. A nurse should concern herself about repercussions when reporting unethical practice. A nurse should be familiar and compliant with his or her states nurse practice act and his or her workplace policies applicable practice standards of care for each clinical area. In the malpractice exercise the nurse was observed on several occasions violating standards of care. The occurrences were reported immediately through the chain of influence which in this case was adm inistration.After anecdotal notes were kept by the nurse, she should ensnare written documentation, including the time and location of the incident and names of any witnesses. magazine should be taken to think about the incident and write pass all important points that come to mind, who and, when, she notified in administration and what was told to them. This course everything would be in order and accessible if you need to recall when answering questions. Be honest and veracious if there is something you cannot remember you, state that you do not recall.There should be no disregard during this process, it is the ethical and legal duty of a nurse, as the patient advocate, to stand up, and protect the patient. Every nurse is equally responsible for his or her own actions. Responsibility also carries over to patients not under her direct care, the arrangement for all patients. The incident was reported in the correct manner and she kept personalised anecdotal records and upheld her ethical duties. Personal and societal views play a major role in the way a nurse views a current ethical situation.As nurses and as human beings, we each exit have our own way of evaluating and assessing different circumstances that we are break of daily. No matter what affable of nursing or nursing experience that you may have, you cannot run from these trying predicaments. Our ethical framework assists us when we experience serious ethical dilemmas (Cameron & Salas, 2010, p. 655). In the case regarding Marianne, there are countless ways in which personal and societal values could have played a part.They could affect how the family would be viewed by society if they did not try everything to save their loved one, or how would it look if they went through with the surgery and it looked as if Marianne was experiencing torture. Ethical dilemmas are neer straightforward and never with a right or wrong answer. It is our channel as nurses to put aside our feelings and beliefs and to educate the family on all of the electric potential outcomes that may be expected. We must remember as health care providers, to be non-judgmental.When reviewing the case of Marianne, the significant legal aspect to consider is the need of a Healthcare Power of Attorney and Living Will. Not possessing Mariannes documented wishes creates a legal ethical dilemma and creates family conflict. The responsibility of decision making the future of Mariannes care will fall on the family with way from the hospitals Ethics Committee. The ANA Code of Ethics provides nurses with guidance in legal and ethical responsibilities. The code describes the financial obligation of treating patients and families with autonomy.Lachman describes the role of autonomy in nursing care patients have a moral and legal right to determine what will be done with their own person to be given accurate, complete, and understandable information in a manner that facilitates an informed judgment to be assiste d with weighing the benefits, burdens, and available options in their manipulation, including the woof of no treatment to accept, refuse, or terminate treatment without deceit, undue influence, duress, coercion, or penalty and to be given necessary support throughout the decision-making and treatment process (Lachman, 2009, p. 55).Providing autonomous nursing care to Marianne and her family will ensure all the options are presented. The family members place swan in the nurse to provide not bad(predicate) care and be supportive, regardless of the decision they make for Mariannes future. The trust placed on nurses includes responsibility to the patient and the institution ensuring policies are adhered to frankincense avoiding the possibilities of negligence. With trust, nurses have an obligation to society. Legally we are responsible to preserve uprightness and safety, to maintain competence and to continue personal and professional growth (ANA, 2001, p. 8). No matter the situati on of the patient in regard to age, race, religion, economic status, etcetera We are to treat each patient and family member with the same occur of respect. Both case studies The Nurse as the Witness and The Six Caps are unique in different ways. Nurses often have the tendency to develop close relationships with patients. Reminders may be needed often that the purpose of nursing is not friendship but to alleviate suffering, protect the patient, promote wellness, and to second restore the health.In Mariannes case the legal responsibility of the nurse is to communicate all possibilities of Mariannes care. The nurse in this situation has an obligation to provide all the information possible to help the family come to a decision in regard to Mariannes life. Nurses are to be truthful and never with adhesive friction any information. No matter what a family or patient decides, the nurse is to advocate for that decision. Family decisions are not the function of nurse, no matter what the nature. There may be instances when a nurse will be a witness or perhaps a defendant. medical examination professionals see many and unique situations some will have to be reported and investigated. Documentation is a huge legal aspect of nursing. It will be always important to document exactly what you do and see. Opinions and assumptions are not good practice for documentation purposes as this would not hold up in court and may sway decisions. The malpractice case regarding the nurse as the witness is a fine example of the need to be proficient in documentation. Months and years later, what is in writing is what will count. As nurses we know, if it was not documented, it did not happenFor this particular case study, the nurse was induce to report exactly what she wrote about the nurse in question. That nurse has an obligation to report any suspicions of abuse and neglect to administration even repeatedly if necessary. In any situation, the nurse has an obligation to act in the b est interest of the patient. It may have consequences but, the overall nurses responsibility is to keep the patient safe. Summing up, it is clear that nursing practice can be influenced by personal ethics and morals. The American Nurses Associations code of ethics provides a guide for practice.When applied to a practical case, much(prenominal) as Marianne and her family, the code of ethics allows the nurse caring for here to remain professional and objective without letting her own feelings influence the family. The nurse has a responsibility to Marianne, her family and the employing institution. Overall, these guidelines extend throughout practice and are set in place to protect society. It becomes a mutual trust and is why nursing is held to such a high standard. References American Nurses Association (ANA). (2001). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements.Washington, DC ANA. Blais, K. K. , Hayes, J. S. , Kozier, B. , & Erb, G. (2006). Professional nursing practice . Upper Saddle River, impudent Jersey Pearson, Prentice Hall. Cameron, B. L. , & Salas, A. S. (2010). Ethical openings in practical home care practice. Nursing Ethics, 17(5), 655-665. Retrieved from http//web. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com Practical use of the nursing code of ethics part I. Medsurg nursing official journal of the academy of medical-surgical nurses, 18(1), 55-57. Retrievedfromhttp//EBSCOhost