AC is a 72-year-old male who is admitted to your ICU after suffering a massive stroke that has left him unresponsive and unable to communicate. He is currently on a ventilator. His wife of 48 years is available along with their one adult daughter. The wife informs you that they dont have any advanced directives, but she is pretty sure her husband would not want to live like this. However, their daughter is adamant her dad would want to be kept alive in case there is any chance to come out of this.
Write a 2- to 3-page paper that addresses the following:
Explain the ethical and legal implications of the scenario on all stakeholders involved, such as the prescriber, pharmacist, patient, and patients family. What will you do in this situation? Will you treat the patient or not? What are the legal implications if you do / do not treat the patient?
Describe strategies to address disclosure and nondisclosure as identified in the scenario. Be sure to reference laws specific to your state. Pretend you selected the wrong option in the previous point. In other words, you acted in opposition to what the law allows.
What is required by your California State regarding errors in practice? If you are unable to find information, call your state board of nursing so they can direct you to the applicable law / rule.
What is required by your employer regarding errors in practice?
What is required by professional organizations regarding errors in practice?
Explain two strategies that you, as an advanced practice nurse, would use to guide your decision making in this scenario, including whether you would disclose your error. Be sure to justify your explanation. In the previous point you discussed disclosure / nondisclosure of errors. Now consider what you would do in a situation like this. Would you disclose the error? Why / why not? What would you base your decision on?
Explain the process of writing prescriptions, including strategies to minimize medication errors. Where do you start when you need to write a prescription? Include information required on a prescription.
o In addition, suggest how the personalized plan of care might change:
if the age of the patient were different and/or
if the patient had a comorbid condition, such as renal failure, heart failure, or liver failure. Consider how age, kidney, heart and/or liver function affect drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and the drug action at the receptor site. Then suggest an adjusted treatment. Include drug name, dose, and frequency.
