Reflective Practice Assignment
The purpose of life support is to help sustain organ function until the body is capable to regain the function itself. When a loved one becomes ill and needs lifesaving medical treatment, families do their best to make sure adequate care is received. Ethical issues can cause dilemmas for doctors, nurses, and the family. It is the medical staff’s responsibility to make sure the patient and family understands the end of life process. During the end of life process the doctors and nurses must insure the patient is comfortable and has limited pain. Extremis is a twenty-four minute documentary, where two families allow viewers to share in their experience in the end of life care of their loved ones. Dr. Zitter appears in this documentary as the critical and palliative care specialist at Oakland Hospital where she focus on the psychological, emotional and spiritual needs of patients and families.
Ethical Dilemma
One big dilemma was the patient’s inability to communicate and give consent while on life support. Dr. Zitter expressed to the families that “ were all going to die….and it’s good to have a little say in how” (Krauss, 2016). Donna was a patient who suffered from myotonic muscular dystrophy, and she previously expressed to her brother that she did not want to suffer by being placed on machines. While in the ICU she was placed in restraints to prevent her from removing tubes. Donna’s only means of communicating is by shaking her head up and down and left to right. Dr. Zitter explains to Donna and her family what would occur if she is removed from life support. Donna’s family struggled to make decisions because they understood life support is what’s keeping her alive. Donna is asked if she would like the tubes removed. Donna later consents to be removed from life support and dies one day later. The role of faith played a part in Selena’s family. Her only child rushed her to the hospital when she stopped breathing. Selena was placed on life support and immediately transferred to the ICU. Dr. Zitter talked with Selena’s daughter and explains that her mother showed no signs of brain activity and her prognosis was not good. Her daughter believed that if she took her mother off of life support it would be as if she murdered her. Selena’s brothers also felt that it was in God’s hands if she lived or died. In the African-American culture life and death decisions are left to God. Dr. Zitter made sure to keep the family involved and aware of Selena’s situation so appropriate decisions could be made in …show more content…
Ethical issues arise daily and I must be confident to make appropriate decisions and not allow my own opinion to get in the way of providing adequate nursing care. It is not my job to judge or push my beliefs on patients. I understand that we all come from many different experiences, cultures, religions, and racial backgrounds that have helped use develop our morals and beliefs. I am to educate and advocate for my patient even if I don’t agree with their medical decisions. If there are ethical or moral beliefs that will affect me, I must make sure to inform my supervisor. I believe my true role as a professional nurse is to advocate, give holistic patient centered care and help each patient maintain a better quality of
The purpose of life support is to help sustain organ function until the body is capable to regain the function itself. When a loved one becomes ill and needs lifesaving medical treatment, families do their best to make sure adequate care is received. Ethical issues can cause dilemmas for doctors, nurses, and the family. It is the medical staff’s responsibility to make sure the patient and family understands the end of life process. During the end of life process the doctors and nurses must insure the patient is comfortable and has limited pain. Extremis is a twenty-four minute documentary, where two families allow viewers to share in their experience in the end of life care of their loved ones. Dr. Zitter appears in this documentary as the critical and palliative care specialist at Oakland Hospital where she focus on the psychological, emotional and spiritual needs of patients and families.
Ethical Dilemma
One big dilemma was the patient’s inability to communicate and give consent while on life support. Dr. Zitter expressed to the families that “ were all going to die….and it’s good to have a little say in how” (Krauss, 2016). Donna was a patient who suffered from myotonic muscular dystrophy, and she previously expressed to her brother that she did not want to suffer by being placed on machines. While in the ICU she was placed in restraints to prevent her from removing tubes. Donna’s only means of communicating is by shaking her head up and down and left to right. Dr. Zitter explains to Donna and her family what would occur if she is removed from life support. Donna’s family struggled to make decisions because they understood life support is what’s keeping her alive. Donna is asked if she would like the tubes removed. Donna later consents to be removed from life support and dies one day later. The role of faith played a part in Selena’s family. Her only child rushed her to the hospital when she stopped breathing. Selena was placed on life support and immediately transferred to the ICU. Dr. Zitter talked with Selena’s daughter and explains that her mother showed no signs of brain activity and her prognosis was not good. Her daughter believed that if she took her mother off of life support it would be as if she murdered her. Selena’s brothers also felt that it was in God’s hands if she lived or died. In the African-American culture life and death decisions are left to God. Dr. Zitter made sure to keep the family involved and aware of Selena’s situation so appropriate decisions could be made in …show more content…
Ethical issues arise daily and I must be confident to make appropriate decisions and not allow my own opinion to get in the way of providing adequate nursing care. It is not my job to judge or push my beliefs on patients. I understand that we all come from many different experiences, cultures, religions, and racial backgrounds that have helped use develop our morals and beliefs. I am to educate and advocate for my patient even if I don’t agree with their medical decisions. If there are ethical or moral beliefs that will affect me, I must make sure to inform my supervisor. I believe my true role as a professional nurse is to advocate, give holistic patient centered care and help each patient maintain a better quality of