Legal & Ethical Issues Response

Please respond to the following discussion citing a supporting reference in your response to the other student. Response should be at least 150 words, not including references

Ethics influences and contributes to the healthcare setting. Ethics can be understood as the action that someone should partake in (Black, 2019). It simply can be referred to as habits or customs. Ethics are process oriented and involve the individual to analyze the situation fully (Black, 2019). There are six ethical principles based on human dignity and respect, which in include autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, fidelity, and veracity. Autonomy gives the individual the right to choose and make their own decisions. Beneficence is understood as doing good. Nonmaleficence means to do no harm (Carlin, 2020). Justice is defined as that equals should be treated in the same way. Fidelity refers to the faithfulness of one’s promises. Veracity is defined as telling the truth. These six ethical principles play a role daily in the healthcare. It may be easy to use these skills personally; however, it may be difficult to use towards an individual whose opinions differ from yours.
In Dylan’s situation there are two principles of ethics that can be considered, the first is Dylan’s fidelity. Dylan made a promise as a nurse to care for and treat his patients to the best of his ability. He also made a commitment to always advocate for his patients and provide for them the best medical care available. Dylan’s nursing license keeps him accountable to a specific level of responsibilities. He must be faithful in his fidelity and keep this promise to all of his patients. Having fidelity holds him accountable to meeting these expectations. A nurse having fidelity in their skill set allows them to have a solid foundation and trust with their patients (Black, 2019). The other is nonmaleficence. This ethical principle is crucial to the healthcare setting and lays at the foundation of the Hippocratic Oath (Carlin, 2020). Nurses should act in a manner that would never intentionally cause harm to a patient (Carlin, 2020). This principle comes into effect due to Dylan’s repeat offenses of providing less than adequate care for his patients as addressed by his manager. Although he is not intentionally trying to cause harm to his patients, he could potentially cause harm to his patients due to his unstable mental health. These two principles of ethics conflict each other because Dylan is trying to maintain his fidelity promise and engage in nonmaleficence. Although it is stated that he believes his personal struggles are not inhibiting his work performances, this is questionable due to him acting distracted and confused along with poor decision makings. I believe that his fidelity to his profession and patients is conflicting with his chance of potentially causing harm to them.
The decision to allow him to return to his staff position could be addressed two different ways with advantages and disadvantages to both. The first option could be approving his request to work again. The advantages to this involves him keeping his position as a nurse. This also allows him a second opportunity and an area for personal growth. The disadvantage to approving his request to work again includes the risk of having an unsafe work environment for his patients. The other option is not approving his request to work again. The advantage to this is preventing harm from happening with patient care. The disadvantage to not approving his request to work is deliberating ending someone’s source of employment, causing one less nurse on the unit, and potentially causing a decline in his mental health.
Resources
Black, B. (2019). Professional Nursing: Concepts & Challenges (9th ed.). Elsevier.
Carlin, N. (2020). Nonmaleficence and Hope: A Correlation. Pastoral Psychology, 69(4), 315-330. http://doi-org.ezproxy.lsuhsc.edu/10.1007/s11089-020-00903-8

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