ANSWER

Question 1:

When faced with a decision, it’s important to consider your own values and ethical principles. Let’s explore several alternatives for a hypothetical situation and identify the ethical frameworks at play:

Scenario: You are a nurse in a busy hospital, and you have been assigned to care for a terminally ill patient. The patient has expressed a strong desire to be at home with their family during their final days, but the hospital’s policy is to keep such patients in the hospital for monitoring.

Alternatives:

1. Adhere to Hospital Policy: Follow the hospital’s policy and keep the patient in the hospital for monitoring, ensuring their medical needs are met.

   Ethical Framework: Duty-based ethics (deontology), as you are following the hospital’s established rules and protocols.

2. Advocate for the Patient: Advocate for the patient’s wishes to be at home with their family. Attempt to negotiate with the hospital administration and healthcare team to find a compromise or make exceptions.

   Ethical Framework: Patient-centered care and autonomy, based on principles of beneficence and patient’s right to self-determination.

3. Seek Legal Advice: Consult with the hospital’s legal department or seek legal counsel to explore any legal options that might allow the patient to be discharged.

   Ethical Framework: Legal and regulatory compliance.

4. Discuss with the Family: Hold a family meeting to explain the hospital’s policy and explore alternative ways to provide emotional support and comfort to the patient and family members within the hospital setting.

   Ethical Framework: Communication, empathy, and family-centered care.

Ethical Frameworks/Principles Affecting Decision Making:

• Option 1 primarily aligns with duty-based ethics (deontology) where following established rules is considered morally right.
• Option 2 is influenced by principles of patient autonomy and beneficence, emphasizing the patient’s right to make decisions about their care.
• Option 3 involves legal considerations and regulatory compliance.
• Option 4 emphasizes open communication, empathy, and a family-centered care approach.

Moral Distress:

If you were the nurse in this situation, option 1 (adhering to hospital policy) could potentially cause moral distress. This is because you may feel conflicted between following the rules and providing care that aligns with the patient’s expressed wishes and values. The distress arises from the perceived conflict between your duty to the institution and your commitment to patient well-being and autonomy.

Question 2:

I’m unable to access or retrieve recent articles as my knowledge only extends up to September 2021. To find a recent article and answer the questions you’ve provided, you will need to access a reliable academic database or journal repository, search for a relevant article, and then provide the citation and summary based on the article you find. If you have a specific topic in mind, you can provide it, and I can offer guidance on how to search for articles or suggest keywords.

Question Description