In healthcare today we are faced with many moral and ethical dilemmas, many of which have been created by the advent of newer technology. Some of the current topics include the 13-year-old girl in California declared brain dead, the pregnant woman in Texas who was declared brain dead and the hospital obeying the law to keep her on life support to get the baby to an age to deliver, the issues or reproductive technology---how many embryo to implant, genetic disposition (getting a baby with blue eyes and an IQ of 175), abortion, and the large issue of alcohol or drug impaired nurses (and doctors).
What are your thoughts on these topics and any others you can think of that would cause moral distress for you working in these situations? Please …show more content…
This is the case of a 13-year old who was declared brain dead by the state of California after undergoing a tonsillectomy to stop her sleep apnea. I cannot imagine the pain that this family has gone through, trying to keep Jahi McMath alive. I also put myself on the shoes of the medical team and as rough as it sounds, clearly the hospital and the health care team failed to establish a relationship of trust with the family. I do not know exactly how everything developed and for what I read Jahi was a very healthy girl. It is very hard to determine if there was negligence or malpractice involved, or how many ethical issues have been violated. As a mother I feel the mother’s pain but as a future nurse I understand that there are protocols that we are supposed to follow and continuing organ support of a dead person is unethical and disrespectful to Jahi’s body. However, the fact that she had her period while brain dead gives a reason to believe that there could be still some brain activity. Who knows, I really hope that this mother is doing the right thing for her little girl and not making her suffer more out of selfishness and religious
What are your thoughts on these topics and any others you can think of that would cause moral distress for you working in these situations? Please …show more content…
This is the case of a 13-year old who was declared brain dead by the state of California after undergoing a tonsillectomy to stop her sleep apnea. I cannot imagine the pain that this family has gone through, trying to keep Jahi McMath alive. I also put myself on the shoes of the medical team and as rough as it sounds, clearly the hospital and the health care team failed to establish a relationship of trust with the family. I do not know exactly how everything developed and for what I read Jahi was a very healthy girl. It is very hard to determine if there was negligence or malpractice involved, or how many ethical issues have been violated. As a mother I feel the mother’s pain but as a future nurse I understand that there are protocols that we are supposed to follow and continuing organ support of a dead person is unethical and disrespectful to Jahi’s body. However, the fact that she had her period while brain dead gives a reason to believe that there could be still some brain activity. Who knows, I really hope that this mother is doing the right thing for her little girl and not making her suffer more out of selfishness and religious