Although ethics is in the forefront of healthcare these days, nurses still face ethical dilemmas in a variety of situations. Healthcare facilities focus on proper training and review of ethic policies, but we still face disparities within our communities despite our efforts. The purpose of this paper is to present an ethical dilemma that I have encountered during my nursing career and how it caused a misunderstanding among healthcare workers. I will describe how the healthcare workers assigned to this patient perceived the dilemma and how the patient and family perceived the dilemma. I will identify the conflicting values and belief systems that each group had regarding this dilemma due to the missing data that the health care providers were
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According to Pavlish et al., (2011), a survey showed that nurses had seven categories that they felt was a priority concerning ethical issues. This survey showed the number one concern was to treat a patient’s pain and suffering in order to improve the quality of their life. My patient was obviously in pain from the fall, surgery, and rehabilitation. The second ethical priority was promoting autonomy and the patient’s wishes should always dominate a family’s wishes. I felt that my patient was unable to relay her wishes to me since she could not communicate. However, once speaking with the family, I was able to comprehend their family values a little better and understand that due to their cultural practices and beliefs, this was also the wishes of the patient. Spiritist treatment centers are located around the world. It is reported that there are more than 161 centers located in 31 countries, with more than 70 centers in the United States (Lucchetti et al., 2011). This family was able to educate me on their cultures practice and beliefs, but I would always have that nagging feeling that I was letting my patient suffer. Studies show that nurses that regret ethical issues sometimes feel helpless, hopelessness, and burnout in their jobs (Pavlish et al., 2011). Puchalski and Guenther (2012), states the patient-caregiver relationship can have …show more content…
This requires our health system to develop knowledge about other cultures, bring awareness and sensitivity toward caring for this diverse population. We must have a general knowledge that there are differences among cultures based on their cultural beliefs, values, and practices. By providing culturally congruent nursing care, we are able to discover and understand how other cultures may interpret their health care, rituals during a health crisis, and use of other healers they may have used due to their beliefs. We are also able to learn about cultural beliefs that may prohibit use of particular modern day medicine as we know it. According to Giger (2013), culturally competent care involves equal rights and fairness that every patient is able to receive health care using social justice and human rights no matter what their social status is. We must remain culturally competent in order to render the best care to our
According to Pavlish et al., (2011), a survey showed that nurses had seven categories that they felt was a priority concerning ethical issues. This survey showed the number one concern was to treat a patient’s pain and suffering in order to improve the quality of their life. My patient was obviously in pain from the fall, surgery, and rehabilitation. The second ethical priority was promoting autonomy and the patient’s wishes should always dominate a family’s wishes. I felt that my patient was unable to relay her wishes to me since she could not communicate. However, once speaking with the family, I was able to comprehend their family values a little better and understand that due to their cultural practices and beliefs, this was also the wishes of the patient. Spiritist treatment centers are located around the world. It is reported that there are more than 161 centers located in 31 countries, with more than 70 centers in the United States (Lucchetti et al., 2011). This family was able to educate me on their cultures practice and beliefs, but I would always have that nagging feeling that I was letting my patient suffer. Studies show that nurses that regret ethical issues sometimes feel helpless, hopelessness, and burnout in their jobs (Pavlish et al., 2011). Puchalski and Guenther (2012), states the patient-caregiver relationship can have …show more content…
This requires our health system to develop knowledge about other cultures, bring awareness and sensitivity toward caring for this diverse population. We must have a general knowledge that there are differences among cultures based on their cultural beliefs, values, and practices. By providing culturally congruent nursing care, we are able to discover and understand how other cultures may interpret their health care, rituals during a health crisis, and use of other healers they may have used due to their beliefs. We are also able to learn about cultural beliefs that may prohibit use of particular modern day medicine as we know it. According to Giger (2013), culturally competent care involves equal rights and fairness that every patient is able to receive health care using social justice and human rights no matter what their social status is. We must remain culturally competent in order to render the best care to our