DISCUSSION

STUDENT A

Health practitioners are faced with ethical dilemmas while performing their daily activities. While working as a nurse, I face ethical dilemmas daily with my friends, workmates, and family. When leaving the hospital, I usually become emotional due to the close relationship with the patients. Regarding respect, it is usually difficult for nurses to adhere to the patient’s wish to die with dignity, respecting the health of the surrogate who wants an abortion. As a nurse, we always try to stick to our working conditions no matter the situation. Ending a person’s life is the hardest thing for our minds to process. It is difficult for nurses to allow patients to die just because they need it despite being their right. It is easier for a nurse to talk to other nurses taking tablets ordered and keep some to themselves (Haah et al., 2020). Stealing medication from the facility or the patient is unacceptable, and such cases should be forwarded to management.

There was a patient whom I was fond of, and we became close friends during her visit to the health facility. At one time, the doctor prescribed some drugs for her treatment. When I was about to administer the drug, the patient refused it because she did not like it. The work of the nurses is to ensure patients get the prescribed drugs on time and as required by the physicians (Rainer et al., 2020). Nurses are supposed to control endorsed medication, although the patient might reject them simultaneously. Patients reserve an option to decline all clinical considerations. When patients refuse to take medication, nurses should educate and advise them on the importance of the medication. When dealing with such cases, the first thing that comes to mind is autonomy. Despite having a close relationship with the patient, I encountered challenges trying to explain to her the importance of taking the medication as prescribed by the doctor. Sometimes, it is challenging as a nurse to advise a patient close to you on what seems right.

 

References

Haahr, A., Norlyk, A., Martinsen, B., & Dreyer, P. (2020). Nurses’ experiences of ethical dilemmas: A review. Nursing ethics, 27(1), 258-272.

Rainer, J., Schneider, J. K., & Lorenz, R. A. (2018). Ethical dilemmas in nursing: An integrative review. Journal of clinical nursing.

 

 

 

 

STUDENT B

 

As a nurse, I understand the importance of balancing my morals and ethics alongside the morals and ethics of my patients’. In many instances, I may find it difficult to put the patient’s wants and needs above what I may find to be a better solution. However, I am also reminded of my role in ensuring optimal health while being a caretaker for those unable to care for themselves. In the scenario of a suffering client that is permitted to die with dignity, as a religious woman myself, it can be challenging to find this as an acceptable route. However, if the family and the patient think this is the best way to approach their life, I am in no position to reject or withhold them from doing so. In another case, if a health surrogate wishes to terminate life support, again coming from a religious background, I would find this situation very disturbing. However, this would not lead me to treat them any differently than my other patients, whose decisions I agree with. I understand my role as a nurse and my responsibility to relieve those in pain. Lastly, in the instance that a nurse takes two tables of oxycodone as ordered but keeps one for herself, I would find this very wrong and unethical. This would be a scenario where I would be concerned for the patient for which the medicine was prescribed, as well as the health and safety of the nurse. I would find it acceptable to report this in hopes of something severe and dangerous occurring.

An ethical dilemma I confronted in my clinical experience was when observing how two nurses treated a patient. They seemed to be very taught and aggressive with the words they spoke and in the actions they took when moving her around. This concerned me as the patient was not treated as they should be. I decided I needed to report this to my supervisor before the situation worsened and the patient got hurt. I found this to be quite an easy decision, but also a bit difficult in the fear that the nurses would be furious with me. However, I understood the more important thing in this situation: the patient’s health and safety. I also thought about how I would like to be treated if I was the patient or the thought of it being someone I love. Therefore, I did not hesitate to do as needed.