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Ethical Dilemmas In Nursing

Decent Essays

Nurses are the front line health care providers and are daily challenged with ethical dilemmas at a growing rate in their field of work. Thus, they are bound by rules and regulation in order to perform at the best of their abilities for any organisation to work smoothly. Therefore, dealing with each situation requires the nurse to set their own values and beliefs in order to provide effective care. Thus these situations are diverse and dynamic, whereby many conflicts arose concerning the best choice for the client in ethical decision making. Moreover, there are many barriers encountered related to relationships, beliefs and principle which inhibits ethical decision making. Thus, this scenario is called ethical dilemma where the nurse has …show more content…

Mr X, fifty-four years old Indian male, referred case from outpatient got admitted in the male surgical ward with the history of Aggressive prostate cancer. Mr X was diagnosis with cancer for eight years, but he was living in the denial stage. The patient was refusing all surgical and medical intervention and was opting for herbal treatment and traditional massage. The patient also defaults his oncology and urology clinic. Mr X presented to outpatient with decreased appetite, lethargy, serve anaemia and hypo proteinuria. After doing several tests, the patient was diagnosis with end stage prostate cancer. Cancer has metastasized to his bone, spread to the lymph node, bladder and kidney. Doctors have explained Mr X, that there is no surgical or medical intervention appropriate for his condition since it was too late. Patient and families were advice on palliative care. While the nurse was taking the vitals sign, patient voiced out that he does not want to be a burden on other in taking care of his health. He knows very well that he will die soon. Mr X informed the nurse that instead of dying slowly each day, it's better he kill himself in one go. He also informed the nurse that he is already planning the easiest method to commit suicide. Mr X is asking the nurse to keep this information a secret between them. Now the nurse is confused whether to share this information with other

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