Ethical Dilemma Nursing

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Illinois Institute Of Technology *

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Nursing

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Nov 24, 2024

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1 Ethical Decision-Making Paper Author Affiliation Course Instructor Due Date

2 Ethical Decision-Making Paper Introduction Most nurses in various occupational settings encounter ethical conundrums while on duty or outside in an emergency. No matter where they work in their various jobs within healthcare organizations, they must make ethical choices that may impact them and their patients (Haahr et al., 2020). Since there is no adequate solution to the moral situation, there is no right or wrong way to handle an ethical dilemma. As a result, given the unbalanced nature of the ethical issue, the choices one makes in a situation of this nature will be influenced by several critical factors, including the nursing principles, code of conduct, ethical principles, values, beliefs, and values, as well as the experience gained in the nursing environment. Additionally, nursing is linked to attracting and developing competent, innate leaders who work at the forefront of the healthcare sector. As a result, nurses can use their leadership abilities to represent patients' interests successfully and deliver high-quality care, improving patient outcomes. Nursing leadership allows nurses to decide quickly and with clinically sound judgment, which sometimes favors patient outcomes, especially in ethical dilemmas. Although nurses are confronted with various ethical issues, they must apply theories, principles, and sound judgment to make rational decisions in ethical dilemmas. Section 1: Ethical Dilemma Nursing professionals constantly encounter dilemmas that demand them to make quick ethical reasoning. In the current healthcare system, professionals should respond to patients who need special consideration due to their religious beliefs. Notably, many patients practice various religions, which is not surprising given that the United States is a multicultural and multiethnic society. The dilemma concerns a woman who experienced a potentially fatal blood flow after

3 giving birth to a healthy boy. She was not eligible to undergo a blood transfusion because she was a Jehovah's Witness, and the practice was against her beliefs. A health professional must morally respect the autonomy and right of the patient to make decisions free from pressure or compulsion. On the other hand, the nurse's obligation to save the mother from dying necessary presented an ethical dilemma. Section II: Ethical Theory The best ethical theories are deontology and natural law theory. The natural law theory implies that everything is predestined. The approach suggests that every choice or action is correct because it will unavoidably have the intended outcome. Deontology theory contends that nurses' decisions are governed by their commitments and duties. Without considering the potential outcomes, nurses in this scenario should focus on what they should do. The deontology theory states that the voluntarily signed formal rejection to have a blood transfusion should be the primary factor in a decision-making process regarding the ethical dilemma. Nurses should respect the autonomy of their patients, which means that they should not be coerced into changing their minds by medical experts. Additionally, this theory exempts nurses from culpability for treatment results. In other words, the nurse will not be blamed if the patient dies. In actuality, the deontology view places more emphasis on mortality, considering it a natural end than guilt ( Mandal, Ponnambath, & Parija, 2016 ). Therefore, the appropriate course of action should be determined by analyzing each unique case adequately. Section III: Applying a Decision-Making Model A suitable decision-making framework is required for every ethical dilemma, depending on the distinct aspect of the situation. As a result, the rational model is the most relevant for assessing the dilemma concerning a blood transfusion procedure for a Jehovah's Witness patient.

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4 The rationality model seeks to deliver the best results for the nurse and the patient. Notably, the model encourages a compromise that meets the needs of both sides, making it suitable in this case. Four specific processes in the rational decision-making model can aid in resolving the conundrum. The first stage in the problem-solving process is identifying the problem ( Djulbegovic, Elqayam, & Dale, 2018 ). In this case, the patient's refusal to have a blood transfusion due to their religious beliefs is the problem. The next stage is to create alternative approaches to the problem. A nurse can resolve this issue by deciding whether to respect the patient's autonomy and right to self-determination or attempting to convince the client to consent to the medical operation. Choosing the right option is the third step. Even though the first plan of action seems more compassionate, the nurse should employ the second plan of action since it complies with the ethical standards of the nursing profession. Implementing the chosen decision is the final step. Regardless of the patient's choice, the nurse should give them thorough information about any risks associated with their refusal. Section IV: Relevance to the Profession of Nursing The American healthcare sector must deal with a sizable proportion of religious patients that need special care. For this reason, I t is challenging to overstate the significance of this dilemma. Healthcare professionals play a prominent role in providing care and enhancing patient outcomes. However, they frequently encounter ethical complexities that demand a high level of reasoning and applying ethical principles and the nursing code of conduct ( Butts & Rich, 2022 ). Rational nurses should be familiar with the major tenets guiding their work to deal successfully with these challenges. As a result, their decisions must be guided by the Code of Ethics, which provides valuable insights on how to face various ethical dilemmas. Further, nurses should understand that the patient's freedom to self-determination takes precedence over other

5 considerations, as demonstrated by the current example with the Jehovah's Witness and blood transfusion case. The nurse should not try to coerce the patient into changing their mind if they have officially declined the medical procedure. Nevertheless, educating the patient and their family members about the consequences of declining treatment is still necessary. Conclusion Occasionally, nurses must make moral decisions. These healthcare practitioners should be particularly attentive to religious convictions that may cause medical problems. Sometimes, a client requires a blood transfusion to survive, but they decline it due to a conviction of religious duty. Nurses should employ a pragmatic ethical theory in such situations. The deontology theory appears to be the most appropriate in this circumstance since it forces the nurses to perform their duty without considering outside influences. A four-step rational decision-making theory can also guide nurses on what to do in this situation. The procedures incorporate identifying a problem, developing potential solutions, selecting the best alternative, and implementing the chosen version. Thus, the aforementioned ethical theory and decision-making model can give nurses crucial knowledge about tackling different ethical dilemmas.

6 References Butts, J. B., & Rich, K. L. (2022). Nursing ethics: Across the curriculum and into practice . Jones & Bartlett Learning. Djulbegovic, B., Elqayam, S., & Dale, W. (2018). Rational decision making in medicine: implications for overuse and underuse. Journal of evaluation in clinical practice , 24 (3), 655-665. Haahr, A., Norlyk, A., Martinsen, B., & Dreyer, P. (2020). Nurses' experiences of ethical dilemmas: A review. Nursing ethics , 27 (1), 258-272. Mandal, J., Ponnambath, D. K., & Parija, S. C. (2016). Utilitarian and deontological ethics in medicine. Tropical Parasitology , 6 (1), 5.

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