Maria is a registered nurse who recently lost her husband after he suffered a ma
ID: 93527 • Letter: M
Question
Maria is a registered nurse who recently lost her husband after he suffered a massive stroke. One of her patients is a 42.year-old male with a stroke (left hemisphere cerebrovasular accident (CVA). She notes on his history that he is married with three young children. Currently, his only form of communication is by slowly writing with his left, nondominant hand. He has requested a do not resuscitate (DNR) order and asked that his feeding tube be removed. Maria finds the patient alert and oriented to time, place, and person. After spending time with the patient during rehabilitation therapy, she also determines that he is competent and able to make health care decisions. During their interaction, the patient asks that his wife not be informed of his wishes concerning the feeding tube and the DNR status. Maria has trouble acknowledging the patient's wishes because they go against her value of human life and belief in the patient's ability to recover with compensation for deficits. A. Describe how Maria's values and recent personal experience influence her care of this patient. B. Do Maria's values conflict with any of the moral or ethical principles of nursing care (autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, fidelity, justice, veracity)? If so, explain. C. Which ethical principle is the most important in this case study? D. How would you handle this scenario in your own nursing practice? E. Maria has problems resolving her ethical and moral dilemma. She posts on Facebook about what happened. Her posts result in a large number of responses. One of her friends who responded is also a friend of the patient's wife. Because of this, the patient's wife is able to see the original posting by Maria. What do you think the legal and ethical ramifications of the posting by Maria?Explanation / Answer
A.Nurses want to care for the patient with humanity and provide the same kind of treatment or medical attention that they would want for themselves.
Maria has recently lost her husband and so as an individual she might experience the loss and grievience as a normal person. As a nurse and health care taker, she is ,medically highly educated.Her personnel experiences though might have influence on the patient's care it is the physical, psychological, cultural and spiritual needs of the patient that the decision will be based upon.
B. Maria's values do not conflict with the ethical principles such as autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice etc., as the patient is been treated based on his own willingness and decision. Good care is aimed at helping the patient be as insdependent as possible yet safe. Since he is competent and able to make his own health care decisions, it is the duty of the nurse to address his decisions regarding the treatment.