Ethical Dilemma In Nursing Case Study

As nurses we will face numerous dilemma or conflicts in the line of duty. Dilema can come in various form for a nurse, be it from family or between colleagues and supervisors. To handle such situation, there have to be a framework of ethics and law that have to be considered before any decisions are made. According to (Hall, 1996, p.2), “Good nursing practice is good ethics is good law”. With this statement in mind, one can practice with confidence as what they do is within the guideline of ethics and legal under the eye of the law. An example of a dilemma in a clinical setting would be in the decision making process of a patient who is unconcious. Sometimes the physician want the best for the patient but the family thinks otherwise or vice versa. This will be explored in the essay on the proper way to handle such dilemma if faced by a nurse.

As illustrated in Appendix A, this case scenario involves establishing the mental capacity of a particular patient according to the Mental Capacity Act. The basic principles in guiding ethical dilema will also be discussed that is autonomy, beneficence, normalificience and justice.

In Singapore, patients are protected with an act called “Mental Capacity Act”. This act explains that one shall be assume to have capacity unless it have been established that the person lacks the capacity. Within this act, it also explained the section on Lasting Power of Attorney. For lasting power of attorney, it differs from power of attorney as the later will cease once the patient lacks the metal capacity to decide for himself. There are some limitations for lasting power of attorney as it is divided into three catagories which is personal welfares, which includes helathcares matter, property and affairs, which includes finacial matters and lastly both personal welfare and property and affairs. If one only apply for the donee to handle issues regarding property and affairs, the donee have no right to decide for the patient on the treatment that is best for the patient when the patient lacks the mental capacity to do so. For the case stated in Appendix A, the primary team did get a second opinion from another team which then establish that the patient still have the mental capacity to decide on his treatment that is not to be extubated as he understood that the ventilator was crucial for him to stay alive. It was not known if the patient have appointed the wife as a donee in the form of power of attorney as lasting power of attorney cannot be applied in this scenario. The primary team, knowing that the patient still have the mental capacity, should not have withold any information from the patient. By witholding any information from the patient, it …show more content…
What this means is that the patient have the rights to be informed regarding his treatment options so as he can make the right decision for himself. As the nurse in charge of the patient, one should also provide the patient with additional information if required by the patient at any cost. The nurse in charge should also respect the patient’s decision to accept or refuse any care or treatment. For this instance in the case scenario, nurse Tan should informed the patient about the decision made by the primary team and not keep it to himself. Indirectly nurse tan have violated the ethical value of non-malificence to his