information regarding prognosis,
information regarding prognosis,
Question 3
It is the responsibility of all healthcare professionals involved in patient’s care to provide accurate and reliable information regarding prognosis, treatments and medications. Some of this information may be distressful for some to hear however, knowing the truth can assists in properly managing conditions and preventing complications and ultimately it allows the person to make decisions on their own care. Not being honest violates the principle of veracity (Weiss et al., 2019). If you anticipate that the information that will be provided may cause distress it may be wise to ask for assistance from other members of the interdisciplinary group such as social workers, doctors or chaplains, also when starting this conversation make sure there are no interruptions and allow ample time for patient to ask questions and discuss concerns.
Question 4
The nurse-patient relationship has its foundation in trust. Patients rely on nurses and other healthcare professionals for information and guidance regarding their health. Withholding health information can create ethical dilemmas between nurses and family members and violates the principle of veracity as well as the nature of the relationship (Weiss et al., 2019). If the family wishes to not disclose information to the patient the nurse can assist by discussing with the family their concerns and fears regarding the information and explore alternatives that ease the family’s concerns and allows the patient to be in control of their health and decisions (Weiss et al., 2019).
Question 5
The code of ethics is one of the most fundamental aspects of any job. It provides a description of what is expected of a professional while at the workplace and provides a framework for nursing to function accordingly (Weiss et al., 2019). If a behavior is witnessed that does not align with the code of ethics it must be reported to the appropriate entity. Passwords must remain private as sharing them can lead to confidentiality breach and patient information is at risk. Every action carries a consequence therefore the person witnessing an unethical act can be held as responsible for the consequence as the person who initiated the act. Moral courage means bypassing the fear and holding true to your values and ideas of what is right and wrong (Schmidt, 2015).
