The media has done a great job in convincing us that the world is due for a pandemic. We are ever vigilant and fearful of unknown diseases. The emergence of infectious diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Ebola with their short but devastating impact are causing society and especially healthcare professionals to re-evaluate moral, legal and ethical obligations. The potential for harm and self-interest is more prevalent. The choices are more personal and sacrifices more costly. Nurses need to know specifically what values they hold about life, health, illness, and death (Blais &Hayes, 2006, p. 51), death of patients but also to themselves. The nurses code of ethics serve as a guide for nurses to provide safe,
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Chin, a 55 year old Asian man went to the NYH emergency department after feeling very ill. He had recently returned from a two weeks visit to China. He became ill during his first week but claimed that he got over his illness after taking Chinese herbal medicine. After a 5 hour wait in the emergency unit and showing signs of profuse sweating and coughing, Mr. C was admitted for overnight observations. Multiple tests conducted over a three day period revealed that Mr. C had tested positive for the SARS virus. SARS is a serious potentially life-threatening viral infection caused by a previously unrecognized virus from the coronaviridae family (Canadian Nurses Association, …show more content…
The code of ethics provides expectations of ethical practice. Often factors beyond the control of individual nurses makes it difficult to maintain moral integrity even with the best intensions (McIntyre & McDonald, 2014). Nurse J decision in this situation, touches on the principle of beneficence, nonmaleficence, risk and justice. The principle of beneficence refers to the obligation of the health care provider to act for the good of the patient, protect the patient from harm and act in the best interests or welfare of the patients (McIntyre & McDonald, 2014). If nurse J chooses to withdraw healthcare services from Mr. C. She will be contravening the principles of both beneficence and nonmaleficence. The principle of nonmaleficence outline the duty to do no harm (Blais & Hayes, 2006). Nurse are not obligated to take undue risk in providing patient care. Nurse J was potentially exposed to SARS due to inadequate PPE. This comes into play because the Nurses Code of Ethic requires that nurse J do good related to patient care. Is it right for nurse J to provide health care services to Mr. C knowing that she can put her family and herself at risk? According to McIntyre and McDonald (2014), “the most challenging aspect of considering the principle of justice in an ethical dilemma is reaching consensus or agreement of what is fair or just” (p. 374). Some may believe that it is unjust while other may feel it is just for nurse to
Chin, a 55 year old Asian man went to the NYH emergency department after feeling very ill. He had recently returned from a two weeks visit to China. He became ill during his first week but claimed that he got over his illness after taking Chinese herbal medicine. After a 5 hour wait in the emergency unit and showing signs of profuse sweating and coughing, Mr. C was admitted for overnight observations. Multiple tests conducted over a three day period revealed that Mr. C had tested positive for the SARS virus. SARS is a serious potentially life-threatening viral infection caused by a previously unrecognized virus from the coronaviridae family (Canadian Nurses Association, …show more content…
The code of ethics provides expectations of ethical practice. Often factors beyond the control of individual nurses makes it difficult to maintain moral integrity even with the best intensions (McIntyre & McDonald, 2014). Nurse J decision in this situation, touches on the principle of beneficence, nonmaleficence, risk and justice. The principle of beneficence refers to the obligation of the health care provider to act for the good of the patient, protect the patient from harm and act in the best interests or welfare of the patients (McIntyre & McDonald, 2014). If nurse J chooses to withdraw healthcare services from Mr. C. She will be contravening the principles of both beneficence and nonmaleficence. The principle of nonmaleficence outline the duty to do no harm (Blais & Hayes, 2006). Nurse are not obligated to take undue risk in providing patient care. Nurse J was potentially exposed to SARS due to inadequate PPE. This comes into play because the Nurses Code of Ethic requires that nurse J do good related to patient care. Is it right for nurse J to provide health care services to Mr. C knowing that she can put her family and herself at risk? According to McIntyre and McDonald (2014), “the most challenging aspect of considering the principle of justice in an ethical dilemma is reaching consensus or agreement of what is fair or just” (p. 374). Some may believe that it is unjust while other may feel it is just for nurse to