Dignity and Respect for Patients-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp

Question: Write an Op-Ed (Opinion-Editorial) piece that allows you to demonstrate an understanding of how issues relating to the dignity of the human person and the realization of the common good may be addressed by you in your Professional Practice now and in the Future. Answer: In the nursing practice, the relationship between a nurse and patient is asymmetrical where later trusts the former in every case. Nurses face difficult ethical dilemma to navigate that arise when autonomic decision of patients conflict with beneficent duty of nurses in looking for the best interest of patients (Jacobs, 2016). Although, the patient has the right to deny treatment, one cannot have right to demand any sort of treatment. Nurses have the moral responsibility to offer appropriate treatment and adhere to ethical principle depending upon the medical case. The above finding may sound alarmist, nurses have to maintain dignity and respect for patients rights in the actual clinical scenario. The focus is the ethical dilemma that nurses face while attending a patient where respects for autonomy conflicts with beneficence (Beauchamp, 2016). For example, in an ethical scenario where a patient diagnosed with AIDS denied treatment, as he believes that this would reveal HIV diagnosis to his family. Considering this scenario, I believe that as a nurse, it is our prime concern to treat his AIDS condition, as the patient will die if the treatment does not start soon. This situation bind the hospital in an ethical dilemma, however, nurses should not end up delivery inappropriate treatment to the patient. There is another side in this case where the hospital is violating the principle of autonomy where the patient refuses treatment for AIDS. It is argued that there is also violation of principle of justice as hospital is providing partial treatment at large expenses and question that if AIDS are transmitted to the family members. Some researchers may argue that breaking the news of HIV positive would violate the principle of confidentiality and human rights. My question is that why treatment for AIDS cannot be given confidentially. Such ethical scenarios are quite common in nursing practice; nevertheless, these issues are not discussed on a daily basis and nurses face maximum ethical challenges, as they are more indulged with patients and most trusting relationship in healthcare. However, from the nursing perspective, several answers address the human rights and respect for autonomy (Butts Rich, 2015). In nursing, human rights of patients and promotion of common good is privacy, confidentiality and independence of clients (Matney, Avant Staggers, 2016). In another instance, a patient who underwent a surgery still wants to smoke and unwilling to quit it. In this situation, the human rights of patients like respect for autonomy conflict with beneficence followed by use of ethical principle leading to different situations. Some researchers may argue that respect for autonomy is valid until the autonomous choice of patients is not basing on delusional ideas and he or she finally understand the decisions at hand (Cook et al., 2015). In such situations, nurses should respect the decisions of patients while on the other hand trying to convince otherwise. Nursing developed as a discrete profession reflecting societal recognition where constellation of healthcare services delivered by nurses is a way to support and promote common good. From the common good perspective, nursing addresses the balance between preservation of patients dignity and respect for autonomy against societal integrity. Nurses are the ones who spend the maximum time with patients and family members and understand their struggle in making crucial decisions. As stated, nurses go through thick of ethical dilemma colliding with patients choices making situation messy and complex. At times, personal beliefs and values of nurses conflict with needs of patient and their families. Informed consent is one aspect of respect for human rights where patient acceptance or denial to treatment depends on the individuals prior consent. Prior consent informs the potential benefits, harms, risks, or any other alternative treatments to patients prior to diagnosis or any invasive procedure. This unwrapping of ethics is important as without prior consent can lead to denial or refusal of treatment by the patient. Consent to treatment is essential that protect patients dignity and respect for autonomy (Boyd, 2015). As a nurse, one should treat patients values and beliefs as it may lead to contradiction or exclusion from treatment. One should respect the ethical principle for autonomy by safeguarding human rights and confidentiality protection of patient health information promoting common good acting as motivation so that they continue with the nursing profession (Lindberg et al., 2014). I believe respect for autonomy should be respected whatever the situation is. Learning experiences help nurses understand ethical principles and its implications in their practice and profession. References Beauchamp, T. L. (2016). Principlism in Bioethics. InBioethical Decision Making and Argumentation(pp. 1-16). Springer International Publishing. Boyd, K. (2015). The impossibility of informed consent?.Journal of medical ethics,41(1), 44-47. Butts, J., Rich, K. (2015). Foundations of Ethical Nursing Practice.Role Development in Professional Nursing Practice,117. Cook, T., Mavroudis, C. D., Jacobs, J. P., Mavroudis, C. (2015). Respect for patient autonomy as a medical virtue.Cardiology in the Young,25(8), 1615-1620. Jacobs, B. B. (2016). Respect for human dignity in nursing: Philosophical and practical perspectives.Canadian Journal of Nursing Research Archive,32(2). Lindberg, C., Fagerstrm, C., Sivberg, B., Willman, A. (2014). Concept analysis: patient autonomy in a caring context.Journal of advanced nursing,70(10), 2208-2221. Matney, S. A., Avant, K., Staggers, N. (2016). Toward an understanding of wisdom in nursing.The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing,21(1).