Description of the Ethical Issue We live in a world where we not only need to be prepared for natural disasters but also those that are created by man, including terriost attacks and mass shootings. The World Association of Disaster and Emergency Medicine defines a disaster as:
A serious disruption of the functioning of society, causing widespread human, material or environmental losses which exceed the ability of affected society to cope using only its own resources; the result of a vast ecological breakdown in the relations between man and his environment, a serious and sudden event on such a scale that the stricken community needs extraordinary efforts to cope with it, often with outside help or international aid.
As an emergency nurse …show more content…
Good (2008) refers to the Seven Cardinal Virtues in Times of Terror: prudence, courage, justice, stewardship, vigilance, resilience, and charity. In a disaster a prudent nurse exhibits sound judgement when deciding when to provide or withhold treatment, they are just in distributing resources (Good, 2008). Stewardship refers to allowing the nurse “to guard and make wise decisions regarding resources entrusted to them,” at times they may have to ration while maximizing good and minimizing harm (Good, 2008). The nurse must be courageous and charitable, willing and looking for opportunities to step forward to care for victims while being vigilant in watching for possible danger or difficulties (Good, 2008). Being resilient provides the nurse with the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties and cope with the task at hand allowing the nurse to be optimistic under pressure and create a positive influence in a negative situation (Good, …show more content…
(2015). Ethical and legal challenges assocaited with disaster nursing. Nursing Ethics, 22(4), 493-503.
Cross, K., & Cicero, M. (2013). Head-to-head comparison of disaster traige methods in pediatric, adult, and geriatric patients. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 61(6), 668-676.
Good, L. (2008). Ethical decision making in disaster triage. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 34(2), 112-115.
Kahn, C., Schultz, C., Miller, K., & Anderson, C. (2009). Does START triage work? an outcomes assessment after a disaster. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 54(3), 424-430.
Wagner, J., & Dahnke, M. (2015). Nursing ethics and disaster triage: Applying utilitarian ethical theory. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 41(4),
A serious disruption of the functioning of society, causing widespread human, material or environmental losses which exceed the ability of affected society to cope using only its own resources; the result of a vast ecological breakdown in the relations between man and his environment, a serious and sudden event on such a scale that the stricken community needs extraordinary efforts to cope with it, often with outside help or international aid.
As an emergency nurse …show more content…
Good (2008) refers to the Seven Cardinal Virtues in Times of Terror: prudence, courage, justice, stewardship, vigilance, resilience, and charity. In a disaster a prudent nurse exhibits sound judgement when deciding when to provide or withhold treatment, they are just in distributing resources (Good, 2008). Stewardship refers to allowing the nurse “to guard and make wise decisions regarding resources entrusted to them,” at times they may have to ration while maximizing good and minimizing harm (Good, 2008). The nurse must be courageous and charitable, willing and looking for opportunities to step forward to care for victims while being vigilant in watching for possible danger or difficulties (Good, 2008). Being resilient provides the nurse with the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties and cope with the task at hand allowing the nurse to be optimistic under pressure and create a positive influence in a negative situation (Good, …show more content…
(2015). Ethical and legal challenges assocaited with disaster nursing. Nursing Ethics, 22(4), 493-503.
Cross, K., & Cicero, M. (2013). Head-to-head comparison of disaster traige methods in pediatric, adult, and geriatric patients. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 61(6), 668-676.
Good, L. (2008). Ethical decision making in disaster triage. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 34(2), 112-115.
Kahn, C., Schultz, C., Miller, K., & Anderson, C. (2009). Does START triage work? an outcomes assessment after a disaster. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 54(3), 424-430.
Wagner, J., & Dahnke, M. (2015). Nursing ethics and disaster triage: Applying utilitarian ethical theory. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 41(4),