Ethical Dilemma: a paper
Since starting nursing school and our clinicals I have meet amazing patients, their families. I have also meet some of the most passionate care providers that I would sincerely like to emulate when I pass the NCLEX and start my journey as a nurse. When I was thinking about an ethical dilemma there have been several that we have witnessed but none of them where done with malicious intent. There was always a “good” reason. As a person that is on the sidelines you see it through the eyes of someone that does not have an emotional cost to the situation. When I did my OB rotation there was a woman that was in labor for over 36 hours with her water broke for 24. As a nursing student, I knew that with every passing hour the woman and also the baby was as risk of infection, but the patient wanted to have a natural birth. The doctors and the nurses spoke to the patient and the family and told them the risks, but they respected the wishes until it became clear that the patient and the baby became to decline. There was no other option but a C-section to save the baby’s life and possibly the mothers as well. But that is not the dilemma I am writing about. …show more content…
I am not sure if my issue is an ethical dilemma or an issue that I need to understand. The situation happened a few weeks ago when I just started my capstone rotation. My preceptor and I were receiving report on our patients and one patient will always stand out to me. Patient x is a 54 yr. old female that was brought in by her husband the night before to the emergency room. She was confused, elevated temperature, tachycardia and tachypnic. The ER Dr. ran a lot of blood work and her lactate level came back at 9.0. She had other elevated lab work but that on stood out to me. We were told anything over 2.0 indicated Sepsis. Our patient was started on Fluids, antibiotics and steroids. When we received her lactate came back at 4.2. Her vital signs were not any better. She was still a febrile, hrs running in the 130-140’s, Bp around 80-90’s / 40-50’s with her respirations mid 30’s. The NP was ordering a large bolus of fluids, continuing the antibiotics and steroids. We had noticed swelling in her left leg with heat and redness. A stat CT was ordered. The NP was question bacteremia due to a wound in the leg. Now to my issue, the NP came into the room and the pt. did not have any family in the room and was asking the pt questions. The pt was in and out of consciousness due to pain, confusion and fever. The NP asked the pt if she understood her code status as a full code or if she wanted any changes. The pt. told the NP that she did not wanted to be intubated. The pt. came into the ER with her husband as a Code A or a full code. With the pt. stating she did not want to be intubated she changed to a Code B. I was bothered but this because 1. She is sick with fever and pain and 2. Her husband is not in the room. I knew he was not the medical power of attorney but I believe that would have been a shock
Since starting nursing school and our clinicals I have meet amazing patients, their families. I have also meet some of the most passionate care providers that I would sincerely like to emulate when I pass the NCLEX and start my journey as a nurse. When I was thinking about an ethical dilemma there have been several that we have witnessed but none of them where done with malicious intent. There was always a “good” reason. As a person that is on the sidelines you see it through the eyes of someone that does not have an emotional cost to the situation. When I did my OB rotation there was a woman that was in labor for over 36 hours with her water broke for 24. As a nursing student, I knew that with every passing hour the woman and also the baby was as risk of infection, but the patient wanted to have a natural birth. The doctors and the nurses spoke to the patient and the family and told them the risks, but they respected the wishes until it became clear that the patient and the baby became to decline. There was no other option but a C-section to save the baby’s life and possibly the mothers as well. But that is not the dilemma I am writing about. …show more content…
I am not sure if my issue is an ethical dilemma or an issue that I need to understand. The situation happened a few weeks ago when I just started my capstone rotation. My preceptor and I were receiving report on our patients and one patient will always stand out to me. Patient x is a 54 yr. old female that was brought in by her husband the night before to the emergency room. She was confused, elevated temperature, tachycardia and tachypnic. The ER Dr. ran a lot of blood work and her lactate level came back at 9.0. She had other elevated lab work but that on stood out to me. We were told anything over 2.0 indicated Sepsis. Our patient was started on Fluids, antibiotics and steroids. When we received her lactate came back at 4.2. Her vital signs were not any better. She was still a febrile, hrs running in the 130-140’s, Bp around 80-90’s / 40-50’s with her respirations mid 30’s. The NP was ordering a large bolus of fluids, continuing the antibiotics and steroids. We had noticed swelling in her left leg with heat and redness. A stat CT was ordered. The NP was question bacteremia due to a wound in the leg. Now to my issue, the NP came into the room and the pt. did not have any family in the room and was asking the pt questions. The pt was in and out of consciousness due to pain, confusion and fever. The NP asked the pt if she understood her code status as a full code or if she wanted any changes. The pt. told the NP that she did not wanted to be intubated. The pt. came into the ER with her husband as a Code A or a full code. With the pt. stating she did not want to be intubated she changed to a Code B. I was bothered but this because 1. She is sick with fever and pain and 2. Her husband is not in the room. I knew he was not the medical power of attorney but I believe that would have been a shock