Nursing Ethical Dilemmas
Having a terminally ill patient confide plans to commit suicide
The Healthcare field itself is quite demanding, given the various situations one encounters in medical practice. The ability to make difficult decisions on patients’ ethical issues is a robust measure of our freedom of choice. Having a terminally ill patient confide plans to commit suicide is such a dilemma, and this is how I would handle the situation. To deliver maximum benefit for the patient, there can only be a right process instead of the right answer. Based on the beneficence principle, I will base my decision on compassion. I will take into consideration the patient’s values and beliefs while upholding my own beliefs since empathy only changes the lens of how we view situations. I will educate the patient on how a problem is never important than a person and let the patient choose their end goal, which is in their best interest.
Confidentiality principle requires nurses to respect the privacy of patients (Choi, 2018). This principle is essential in dictating the decision I take since I have to make the patient assured of my trust to keep the secret. Suicide plans are contrary to my code of practice, and therefore leaning on patient’s decision to commit suicide can land me into problems. I will share the information with other health care professionals. I believe that involving other professionals will help the patient in choosing a better path. This will provide a better nursing intervention to handle the various risk factors involved and organize for further comprehensive care.
The autonomy principle will guide the final decision. After a thorough assessment of the patient’s health condition, a final decision needs to be made by the patient since their freedoms, rights, and preferences have to be respected. The health team assessment will only guide whether the patient is competent to make the suicide decision and take corrective measures to deal with such a dilemma.
References
Choi, E. Y. (2018). Ethical dilemma and professionalism of long-term care hospital nurses. The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology, 4(1), 153-163.