Discussion 5: Ethical Considerations & End of Life Care – Coach Hawkins
From Law & Ethics in Nursing – 11127 NUR4826 202201No unread replies.No replies.
All initial (primary) posts are due on Wed 11:59. A 10% deduction per day will occur up to 72 hours after which the initial will not be accepted. Responses are due on Sunday 11:59 and will not be accepted late and will receive a zero.
Reflect upon a situation where you have been involved with an end of life ethical situation. Have all stakeholders (healthcare providers, family members and the patient) agreed with the plan of care? Consider your ethical responsibility as a nurse as you respond to the questions. If you have not experienced an end of life decision ethical situation as a nurse, the Terry Schiavo case here (Links to an external site.) and respond to the questions using the scenario within the video.
Primary Post (minimum 300 words)
How often do healthcare providers encounter ethical dilemmas in end of life care?
What is the source of the ethical dilemma?
What is the nurse’s role in this situation?
What legal and ethical standards must health care personnel be expected to consider in end of life care? (cite a source for ethical considerations- could be a professional nursing organization and/or other source specific to your work setting)
Consider the readings from this week, including the number of states implementing legislation for the right to die as well as the nurse’s role in aid in dying. What are your thoughts about this trend?
If you did not agree with the decision being made, can you excuse yourself from caring for the patient?
Ultimately, who should make a decision about end of life care? Explain your rationale.
Response to 1 Peer (minimum 150 words)
1. Consider your peer responses. Are they similar or different than yours?
2. How do other’s perspectives on ethical considerations impact your view?
See assignment rubric for grading criteria (click on 3 dots above assignment description)
Module 5 Instructional Activities
Module Level Student Learning Outcomes
Exhibit quality care initiatives through the integration of theory, evidence, clinical judgment and patient preferences.
Demonstrate awareness of regulatory policies relevant to the functioning and solvency of healthcare systems.
Respects the dignity of self and others in professional nursing practice by seeking truth, acting justly, and fostering human dignity.
Uses clinical reasoning and knowledge based on the baccalaureate degree nursing program of study, evidence-based practice outcomes, and research studies as the basis for decision making and delivery of highly reliable care.
View Video
What we can do to die well (Links to an external site.) (~13 minutes)
Read/Review
Click here (Links to an external site.)to review the ANA Code of Ethics (2015) – Consider Provision 1
Review this website (Links to an external site.)to learn about Death with Dignity Act
Review ANA Position Statement 2019 Medical Aid in Dying.pdf
Module Reflection Questions
What does the the speaker in this week’s video mean by “more is not more”?
Explore legal and ethical trends in end of life care
Discuss perspectives in considering cost, value and human dignity in end of life care
Review the nurse’s role in medical aid in dying
The goal of this module is to provide an overview of the major end of life issues related to the nursing profession and to examine the related legal and ethical concerns. You have already been learning about the ethical concept of moral distress, defined as the stress that “occurs when one (believes one) knows the right thing to do, but institutional or other constraints make it difficult to pursue the desired course of action.” (Raines) This concept was first established in nursing literature in the 1980s and has been established as a leading cause of nursing burnout and attrition. Nurses have been found to be particularly vulnerable due to the fact that they are simultaneously equipped with knowledge that may impact patient care, but have very little decision-making power. In this module, you will be reflecting on these situations and applying them to your clinical practice.
