Assessment 3: Applying Ethical Principles NHS-FPX4000

A Sample Answer For the Assignment: Assessment 3: Applying Ethical Principles NHS-FPX4000

Title: Assessment 3: Applying Ethical Principles NHS-FPX4000

Applying Ethical Principles

In regular practice, health care professionals encounter multiple ethical dilemmas of varying complexities. Irrespective of the situation, nurses should keenly evaluate the potential outcomes of their decisions on patients and families and their practice implications. End-of-life care decisions are typically associated with ethical dilemmas. The parties involved usually have conflicting values and perspectives that caregivers must respect besides providing usual care. The purpose of this paper is to develop a solution to an ethical dilemma involving end-of-life care decisions.

Summary: Facts of a Case Study Using Peer-Reviewed Evidence and Analysis

The case involves Eleanor Thompson, a 72-year-old woman battling an aggressive form of ovarian cancer. In the past three years, the woman has undergone multiple chemotherapy radiations, but her condition only worsens (Capella University, n.d.). Due to the resultant pain and suffering, her oncologist (Samuel Martinez) recommends another experimental treatment and the option of palliative care. According to Ekberg et al. (2021), family members’ perspectives are crucial to facilitate collaborative end-of-life care decisions. This is evident in the case where Eleanor’s family members give different opinions about the next move. Her eldest daughter is convinced that all possible treatments should be pursued, while her son, Michael, opts for palliative care since his mother has suffered enough (Capella University, n.d.). Her husband is torn between respecting Eleanor’s fighting spirit, easing her pain, and the painful finality of either intervention. Above all, the health care team must navigate a complex landscape where beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice should be promoted.

The case involves a patient, family members, and a doctor with conflicting values. In this case, every decision will have ethical implications, hence the need for a careful approach and engagement of all involved parties. The ethical decision-making model provides health care professionals with a reference framework for addressing ethical dilemmas. The model has three components: moral awareness, moral judgment, and ethical behavior. According to Emser et al. (2021), moral awareness is recognizing the presence of a moral issue in a situation, while moral judgment involves a critical assessment of potential solutions to the moral issue. Ethical behavior denotes applying moral principles to ensure the clinical decision aligns with the desired moral standards. A suitable example of ethical behavior is acting in a way that prevents Eleanor’s suffering significantly.

Nursing research has extensively studied decision-making during end-of-life care and provides valuable information relevant to the case study. Akdeniz et al. (2021) evaluated ethical considerations during end-of-life care and stressed the need for alleviating suffering and optimizing the patient’s quality of life. When making critical decisions, health care professionals should protect patients’ right to self-determination using advance directives (ADs). Murali (2020) described the relevance of postmodernism during end-of-life care. Postmodernism is centered on subjectivity, where situational and contextual factors influencing decision-making should be evaluated critically. For instance, health care providers should value both the subjective experience of patients and family members to make effective decisions. Generally, these articles are relevant, authoritative, and peer-reviewed (credible). They expand research on end-of-life care and the morality of decisions from a scholarly viewpoint, hence their choice.

Applying Ethical Principles

            Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, commented that nursing is a reputable and ethical profession. Therefore, operating within the set ethical framework limits nurses from facing legal cases that have been on the rise in healthcare setting. Healthcare professionals often face ethical issues in their line of duty, requiring them to use moral decisions and values to solve these ethical problems (Rainer et al., 2018). Failure to apply ethical principles in solving ethical issues might result in adverse consequences for the healthcare worker. The consequences include license revocation, loss of public trust, and legal cases. These ethical principles have been significant in the past and are also accepted in the care field. Healthcare professionals use these principles when faced with complex decisions involving patients. Therefore, the purpose of this assignment is to address the ethical issue facing Dr. Kerr on the stand of Jenna and Chris Smith concerning immunizing their 5-day-old daughter.

Overview of the Case Study

            The case presented is about Jenna and Chris Smith, who are the biological parents, Ana. Ana is a 5-day-old baby who was born in the community hospital without presenting any complications at birth. The family was happy to receive the newborn, and they had a good time bonding with Ana. In their mind, they would do anything possible to make their baby safe because she was the only reason they could smile as family. For this reason, they believed that approaching the safety of Ana through the natural method would reduce the risk of infection in their baby. Therefore, the parents were against vaccinating Ana, citing the increased risk of autism arising from these vaccines. The natural choice selected the Smiths included breastfeeding the baby for the first six months and making their own food out of pureed organic foods for the baby.

            The Smiths are intellects who had carried out research on vaccines. Their findings prove that these vaccines increase risk of autism, and they do not see the value that the vaccines would have on their baby; instead, the vaccines would cause potential harm. Ana’s parents have used the increase in autism rates as proof of the unanticipated risks of these vaccines. Their pediatrician, Dr. Angela Kerr, listened to their argument and the reason why they would not want their child to be vaccinated. In her experience and professionalism in healthcare, Dr. Kerr starts by agreeing about the controversies of these vaccines in recent years. However, she further explains that the vaccines have saved millions of children and reduced the mortality rate over the past century. The doctor iterated that the decreased rate of infection caused by the deadly Haemophilus influenza type B, is an outcome of the frequent immunization against the bacterium. Again, the increased cases of measles are also linked to unvaccinated individuals.

            Dr. Kerr further clears the controversy linking autism and immunization by explaining that the safety profiles of all vaccines are regularly monitored. The federal government has a system called Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) that is responsible for constant updates of the vaccine data. This system also conducts a nationwide safety surveillance program sponsored by the FDA and the CDC through a special link available to the public. This system allows transparency for vaccine safety and encourages the public and healthcare providers to report adverse reactions to vaccines. No vaccines have proven to be causing autism spectrum disorder or any other developmental disorder. Again, in many studies, vaccines containing thimerasol were thought to cause autism, but it was later confirmed that it does not increase the risk of autism.

            Dr. Kerr also reminds the Smiths of the risks of exposure they would be bringing to the unvaccinated children. Some children in the general population have weak immunity arising from genetic conditions or cancer treatments. It is not advisable to vaccinate these children because of their condition. Other children are too young to receive certain vaccines. However, these children are protected because all other children and adults have been vaccinated, reducing exposure to the vaccine preventable-illness (VPIs). An increase in the number of parents refusing immunization for their healthy children would increase the rate of VPIs, putting vulnerable children at risk of infection. Despite this elaborate explanation, Jenna and Chris only confirmed that they understood the doctor’s explanation but still restated that they did not want Ana to be vaccinated at that time. Dr. Kerr is short of additional explanations that might convince this couple to vaccinate their child. She is out of options and wonders how she would handle the case.

Analysis of Ethical Issues in the Case Study

            In this case study, Jenna and Chris are the main factors leading to the ethical dilemma. Ana is still a 5-day-old child, unable to make her own decisions concerning health. The health and choice of the Smiths would define the direction that this issue would take. Jenna and Chris refused to immunize their baby at 5-day old, citing the adverse effect that the vaccine would have on their child, as explained in the study done by Migriño et al. (2020). As Dr. Kerr oversaw the risk and danger, they might be exposing their baby. She offered to explain the entire scenario citing examples and cases to prove that the vaccines would save the baby more than exposing her to additional risks.

            Dr. Kerr respects the decision of the parents; however, she is concerned with the serious health implication that would face Ana. She is also concerned with the lives of other children who cannot be vaccinated based on underlying conditions. However, the parents maintain that vaccinating their child at 5-day old would expose their child to increased risks of autism (Migriño et al. (2020). They would rather depend on the natural breastfeeding for six months and adopt pureed organic food after six months as this would save their child.

Using the Ethical Decision-Making Model to Analyze the Case Study

            The ethical decision-making model focus on three main components. They include moral awareness, moral judgment, and ethical behaviors. These components can be significant in analyzing the presented case study. Moral awareness is about the familiarity of the healthcare professional with the existing ethical dilemma (Rainer et al., 2018). This component explains to the healthcare professionals that they will be facing various issues that would limit their ability to save a situation. Moral judgment is the choice of what is good from the wrong when faced with an ethical dilemma. Moral judgment and awareness would affect the ethical behavior of a nurse. Ethical behavior addresses the action that healthcare professionals would take when faced with an ethical issue in the line of duty.

            Dr. Kerr’s moral awareness is reflected by her explaining the circumstances surrounding the case of Ana. She shares her wide professional knowledge with the parents to convince them of the positive health outcome that they would have on Ana by agreeing to be vaccinated. Her moral judgment is reflected by her decision to provide enough proof to the Smiths on the importance of vaccinating their child (Rainer et al., 2018). Besides, she counters the overall thinking overshadowing the decision of the parents that vaccines increase the risk of autism. Dr. Kerr believes that vaccinating Ana is the right thing to do, and that is why she engages the parents to change their minds.

            Dr. Kerr’s ethical behavior would define the action show would take to resolve the case. The actions depend on the four main ethical principles that govern the ethical conduct of healthcare professionals. Autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice are the main ethical principle she should be abiding by as a healthcare professional (Rainer et al., 2018).

Effectiveness of Communication Approaches in the Case Study

            The communication between a patient and a physician requires active listening and understanding from both parties (Salehi et al., 2020). Dr. Kerr listened to Jenna and Chris regarding their fear of vaccinating Ana. The pedestrian also learns that Jenna and Chris have been undertaking their private study about the vaccines, where they ascertain that it has caused more harm than good. The doctor also learns that Jenna and Chris understood the issues from her explanation and agreed to the facts relayed by the doctor. Dr. Kerr understands Jenna and Chris’s love for Ana and how they would not risk harming her by any means. Therefore, active listening assists the pediatrician in understanding the concerns of Jenna and Chris concerning vaccination.

            Dr. Kerr is aware that deciding to offer Ana vaccination without the consent of her parents would be a violation of the right to informed consent as a healthcare worker. Dr. Kerr is keen not to indulge in a legal dispute between her and Ana’s parents and decides to offer them the information that would change their minds (Salehi et al., 2020). The entire communication between the doctor and the Smiths is geared toward unveiling the benefits of vaccination to Ana and the entire community. The doctor maintains transparent communication to dispel doubts about Ana’s parents. Therefore, she respects the concerns of Jenna and Chris but stresses the need to allow Ana to get vaccinated. The doctor communicates the issue to the parents in an effective manner, ensuring that they both understand the risks and value of their decision on the child.

            During the discussion, Jenna and Chris discuss their findings on the increased rate of autism caused by the vaccination. Dr. Kerr agrees with the findings they had done and confirms that the component that was believed to be increasing the risk of autism was not increasing the said risk as studied by other scholars (Salehi et al., 2020). Dr. Kerr involves Jenna and Chris in an expert opinion based on her pediatrician experience. The doctor thought that Jenna and Chris would change their decision on vaccinating Ana by explaining the risks they would expose to Ana and other children in society. However, Dr. Kerr was unable to convince Jenna and Chris as they maintained their original idea of no vaccination even after receiving the expert opinion.

Resolving the Ethical Dilemma by Applying Ethical Principles

            The four main ethical principles play a significant role in solving ethical dilemmas facing healthcare professionals. These principles include autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. Autonomy requires the healthcare professional to accept and understand the patient’s beliefs and values, beneficence focus on advocating for patients’ welfare, nonmaleficence prohibits healthcare workers from harming the patient, and justice is about treating a patient with utmost fairness (Rainer et al., 2018).

            Two major principles are involved in this case. The ethical dilemma is caused by the conflict between principles of autonomy and beneficence (Rainer et al., 2018). Dr. Kerr is preserving the autonomy of Ana’s parents by respecting their decision and the background research they have been doing on immunization. On the other hand, Dr. Kerr is acting for the welfare of Ana by explaining to her parents how the vaccination would reduce adverse health risks to the child. The doctor and Ana’s parents have a difference on the issue of vaccination. While the doctor has limited power to undertake the basic medical intervention right for the child, the parents are against such options. Therefore, Dr. Kerr must adhere to the autonomy principle and offer professional advice even though the parents are likely to refuse such options.

            Dr. Kerr could consider involving a second party in the solution to this dilemma. For instance, approaching Child Protective Services, which is a social agency run by the government to counsel and support families in promoting child welfare, could resolve the dilemma (Slack & Berger, 2020). Dr. Kerr is obligated to help Ana get vaccinated as part of their professional role as a healthcare worker (beneficence) by seeking the intervention of Child Protective Services. Although this option would be overriding the patient’s autonomy, the doctor would be working in the interest of Ana and her future life.

Conclusion

            Ethical dilemmas are part of professional practice, and it requires health care professionals to act with the utmost care that would aid in adhering to the four principles of care ethics. In the case study, Dr. Kerr has to choose between respecting the parents’ decision on no vaccination on Ana or helping Ana seek vaccination owing to the increased risk of infection on Ana. The proposed solution entails upholding two main ethical principles, which are autonomy and beneficence, in resolving Dr. Kerr’s ethical issue.

References

Migriño Jr, J., Gayados, B., Birol, K. R. J., De Jesus, L., Lopez, C. W., Mercado, W. C., … & Tulagan, G. (2020). Factors affecting vaccine hesitancy among families with children 2 years old and younger in two urban communities in Manila, Philippines. Western Pacific Surveillance and Response Journal: WPSAR, 11(2), 20. https://doi.org/10.5365%2Fwpsar.2019.10.2.006

Rainer, J., Schneider, J. K., & Lorenz, R. A. (2018). Ethical dilemmas in nursing: An integrative review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 27(19-20), 3446-3461. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.14542

Salehi, Z., Najafi Ghezeljeh, T., Hajibabaee, F., & Joolaee, S. (2020). Factors behind ethical dilemmas regarding physical restraint for critical care nurses. Nursing Ethics, 27(2), 598-608. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0969733019858711

Slack, K. S., & Berger, L. M. (2020). Who is and is not served by child protective services systems? Implications for a prevention infrastructure to reduce child maltreatment. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 692(1), 182-202. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0002716220980691

Sample Answer for Assessment 3: Applying Ethical Principles NHS-FPX4000 Included

Assessment 3: Applying Ethical Principles NHS-FPX4000

Develop a solution to a specific ethical dilemma faced by a health care professional by applying ethical principles. Describe the issues and a possible solution in a 3-5-page paper.

Introduction

Whether you are a nurse, a public health professional, a health care administrator, or in another role in the health care field, you must base your decisions on a set of ethical principles and values. Your decisions must be fair, equitable, and defensible. Each discipline has established a professional code of ethics to guide ethical behavior. In this assessment, you will practice working through an ethical dilemma as described in a case study. Your practice will help you develop a method for formulating ethical decisions.

Demonstration of Proficiency

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the course competencies through the following assessment scoring guide criteria:

• Competency 1: Apply information literacy and library research skills to obtain scholarly information in the field of health care.
  • Apply academic peer-reviewed journal articles relevant to an ethical problem or issue as evidence to support an analysis of the case.
• Competency 3: Apply ethical principles and academic standards to the study of health care.
  • Summarize the facts in a case study and use the three components of an ethical decision-making model to analyze an ethical problem or issue and the factors that contributed to it.
  • Discuss the effectiveness of the communication approaches present in a case study.
  • Discuss the effectiveness of the approach used by a professional to deal with problems or issues involving ethical practice in a case study.
  • Apply ethical principles to a possible solution to an ethical problem or issue described in a case study.
• Competency 4: Write for a specific audience, in appropriate tone and style, in accordance with Capella’s writing standards.
  • Write clearly and logically, with correct use of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.
  • Write following APA style for in-text citations, quotes, and references.

Instructions

Note: The requirements outlined below correspond to the grading criteria in the scoring guide. At a minimum, be sure to address each point. In addition, you are encouraged to review the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed.

For this assessment, develop a solution to a specific ethical dilemma faced by a health care professional. In your assessment:

1. Access the Ethical Case Studies media piece to review the case studies you will be using for this assessment.
   1. Select the case most closely related to your area of interest and use it to complete the assessment.
      1. Note: The case study may not supply all of the information you need. In such cases, you should consider a variety of possibilities and infer potential conclusions. However, please be sure to identify any assumptions or speculations you make.
   1. Include the selected case study in your reference list, using proper APA Style and Format.
2. Summarize the facts in a case study and use the three components of an ethical decision-making model to analyze an ethical problem or issue and the factors that contributed to it.
   1. Identify which case study you selected and briefly summarize the facts surrounding it. Identify the problem or issue that presents an ethical dilemma or challenge and describe that dilemma or challenge.
   1. Identify who is involved or affected by the ethical problem or issue.
   1. Access the Ethical Decision-Making Model media piece and use the three components of the ethical decision-making model (moral awareness, moral judgment, and ethical behavior) to analyze the ethical issues.
      1. Apply the three components outlined in the Ethical Decision-Making Model media.
   1. Analyze the factors that contributed to the ethical problem or issue identified in the case study.
      1. Describe the factors that contributed to the problem or issue and explain how they contributed.
3. Apply academic peer-reviewed journal articles relevant to an ethical problem or issue as evidence to support an analysis of the case.
   1. In addition to the readings provided, use the Capella library to locate at least one academic peer-reviewed journal article relevant to the problem or issue that you can use to support your analysis of the situation. The How Do I Find Peer-Reviewed Articles? library guide will help you locate appropriate references.
      1. Cite and apply key principles from the journal article as evidence to support your critical thinking and analysis of the ethical problem or issue.
      1. Review the Think Critically About Source Quality resource.
         1. Assess the credibility of the information source.
         1. Assess the relevance of the information source.
4. Discuss the effectiveness of the communication approaches present in a case study.
   1. Describe how the health care professional in the case study communicated with others.
   1. Assess instances where the professional communicated effectively or ineffectively.
   1. Explain which communication approaches should be used and which ones should be avoided.
   1. Describe the consequences of using effective and non-effective communication approaches.
5. Discuss the effectiveness of the approach used by a professional to deal with problems or issues involving ethical practice in a case study.
   1. Describe the actions taken in response to the ethical dilemma or issue presented in the case study.
   1. Summarize how well the professional managed professional responsibilities and priorities to resolve the problem or issue in the case.
   1. Discuss the key lessons this case provides for health care professionals.
6. Apply ethical principles to a possible solution to an ethical problem or issue described in a case study.
   1. Describe the proposed solution.
   1. Discuss how the approach makes this professional more effective or less effective in building relationships across disciplines within his or her organization.
   1. Discuss how likely it is the proposed solution will foster professional collaboration.
7. Write clearly and logically, with correct use of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.
   1. Apply the principles of effective composition.
   1. Determine the proper application of the rules of grammar and mechanics.
8. Write using APA style for in-text citations, quotes, and references.
   1. Determine the proper application of APA formatting requirements and scholarly writing standards.
   1. Integrate information from outside sources into academic writing by appropriately quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing, following APA style