Nursing Ethics

DATA COLLECTION AND ASSESSMENT OF DATA (20 points)Based on your clinical practice, identify an ethical issue that you have encountered.A. Situational Considerations1.What situational factors contribute to the ethical dilemma or issue?2.How do these situational factors contribute to the ethical dilemma or issue?B. Health Team Considerations1.What persons are most involved in the situation?2.What are the relevant backgrounds (e.g., educational level, value orientations) of the persons involved?3.What persons are most affected by the outcome of the decision?C. Organizational Considerations1. What is the nature and mission of the organization?2. What are the organization’s values, policies, and procedures relevant to the situation?II. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION (20 points)A. Ethical Considerations1. What are the ethical considerations related to the problem?2. Which of these ethical considerations take priority? B. Non-ethical Considerations1. What are the non-ethical considerations related to the problem (e.g., medical, legal, or factual considerations)?2. How do the non-ethical considerations relate to the ethical considerations?III. CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTIONS (20 points0A. Utilitarian Thinking1. How is the principle of utility being defined (e.g., happiness, pleasure, health, etc)?2. What are viable actions?
What are predicted consequences of the actions for persons affected by the decision?4. What possible action(s) produce the best consequences overall for happiness, pleasure, health, etc. and the least unhappiness, disvalue, displeasure, etc. for persons affected, or most affected, by the decision? B. Deontological Thinking1. What ethical rules and principles are in conflict?2. What duties emerge from these ethical rules and principles?3. Which of these duties are in conflict with equal or stronger duties?4. If a conflict exists, which duties derived from moral rules and principles produce the greatest balance of rightness over wrongness?IV. DECISION AND SELECTION OF COURSE OF ACTION (20 points)A. Contribution of Internal/Group Factors1. For whom is the decision being made?2. Who should decide?3. What biases/values of persons involved in the situation affect the decision?B. Contribution of External Factors1. What institutional factors are affecting the decision and selected course of action?2. What legal factors are affecting the decision and selected course of action?3. What social factors are affecting the decision and selected course of action?C. Quality of Decision and Course of Action 1. What decision is being made?2. What course of action to implement the decision is being made?3. In light of the preceding factors, are the decision being made and the course of action to be taken ones that can still be morally justified?4. If not, how can the decision being made and the course of action to be taken be altered so that they are morally justified?5. Is the selected course of action based on the decision implementable?6. Identify the relationship between the decision and the ANA Interpretive Statement Code for Nurses.V. REFLECTION ON DECISION (20 points)A. Reflection on Decision1. Was the decision that was made the one that was actually acted upon? If not, Why?2. Did the decision that was made accomplish its intended purpose? If not, Why?3. In retrospect, do you believe the decision that was made was morally good or right? Why? Why not?
references on separate page