Analyzing An Ethical Decision In Your Role As An Advanced Pr

Analyzing An Ethical Decisionin Your Role As An Advanced Practice Nur

In the realm of advanced practice nursing, ethical decision-making is a fundamental component of professional practice, directly impacting patient care, legal compliance, and professional integrity. As advanced practice nurses (APRNs), clinicians frequently encounter complex moral dilemmas that challenge their values, responsibilities, and adherence to legal statutes. This paper explores an ethical issue presented in recent literature, analyzing the moral and ethical dilemmas involved, and comparing these issues within the context of state-specific laws and regulations. Furthermore, it delineates a structured approach for ethical decision-making applicable to these dilemmas, ensuring conscientious and compliant practice.

Paper For Above instruction

In recent literature, one prominent ethical dilemma faced by advanced practice nurses involves the boundary issues related to treating friends and family members. A 2018 article by Johnson and Smith explores the moral responsibilities and professional boundaries in providing care to personal acquaintances, highlighting dilemmas such as conflicts of interest, compromised objectivity, and the risk of harm to both patient and provider. The ethical issue primarily revolves around whether it is appropriate for APRNs to treat individuals with whom they have personal relationships, raising questions about professionalism, confidentiality, and liability.

The core moral and ethical dilemmas associated with treating friends and family center on dual relationships that threaten objectivity and the quality of care provided. These relationships potentially hinder the nurse’s ability to make impartial clinical judgments due to emotional involvement or personal bias, thus risking compromised patient safety. Moreover, boundary issues may blur the lines between professional and personal roles, possibly leading to ethical violations concerning confidentiality and informed consent. The dilemma intensifies with concerns about accountability, documentation, and liability in cases of adverse outcomes, which could be complicated by the nurse’s dual role as both caregiver and friend or family member.

Analyzing these ethical dilemmas requires an understanding of the principles of biomedical ethics—autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice—as well as considerations of professional standards established by nursing and healthcare regulatory bodies. Treating friends or family can challenge these principles, especially autonomy and beneficence, if emotional biases undermine impartiality or compromise quality of care. State laws and regulations often reinforce the importance of maintaining professional boundaries. For instance, in California, the Nursing Practice Act emphasizes the importance of avoiding conflicts of interest and maintaining professional boundaries, discouraging nurses from treating individuals with whom they share a personal relationship unless extraordinary circumstances exist (California Board of Nursing, 2020). Similarly, the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics explicitly recommends that nurses avoid treating friends or family to uphold ethical standards and avoid conflicts of interest (ANA, 2015).

The process of ethical decision-making in nursing typically follows a systematic approach, often based on the ETHIC model or similar frameworks. For this dilemma, I would employ the model outlined by Hamric et al. (2014), which involves the following steps:

• Identify the ethical issue: Recognize that treating friends or family members presents potential conflicts of interest and professionalism.
• Gather relevant information: Consider the patient’s needs, family dynamics, legal implications, and institutional policies.
• Identify the ethical principles involved: Evaluate how autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice are impacted.
• Identify options and evaluate consequences: Options include refusing care, seeking supervision, or proceeding with caution while maintaining clear boundaries.
• Make a decision: Based on ethical principles, legal standards, and institutional policies, deciding to avoid treating friends/family unless absolutely necessary.
• Implement the decision and evaluate outcomes: Document the decision thoroughly and monitor for any ethical or clinical repercussions.

This structured approach ensures that decisions are made systematically, ethically, and within the scope of legal and professional standards. It prioritizes patient safety and professional integrity while respecting legal statutes at the state level.

References

• American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements. ANA Publishing.
• California Board of Nursing. (2020). Nursing Practice Act. California Business and Professions Code.
• Hamric, A. B., Hanson, C. M., Tracy, M. F., & O’Grady, E. T. (2014). Advanced Practice Nursing: An Integrative Approach (5th ed.). Elsevier Saunders.
• Johnson, L., & Smith, R. (2018). Ethical boundaries in nurse-patient relationships: Treating friends and family. Nursing Ethics Journal, 25(4), 567-578.
• Kurian, F., & Garcia, R. (2019). Managing dual relationships in nursing practice. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 10(2), 33-41.
• American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice. ANA Publishing.
• Benner, P., Sutphen, L., Leonard, V., & Day, L. (2010). Educating Nurses: A Call for Radical Transformation. Jossey-Bass.
• Caplan, A. L. (2013). Ethical challenges in healthcare decision-making. JAMA, 310(21), 2293-2294.
• Fitzpatrick, J. J., & Burch, S. (2015). Ethical dilemmas in nursing practice. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 5(2), 123-127.
• GCU. (2021). Ethical decision making in nursing practice. Grand Canyon University Nursing Resources.