Identify And Discuss At Least Two Potential Ethical I 226003

Identify And Discuss At Least Two Potential Ethical Issues That Could

Identify and discuss at least two potential ethical issues that could be of concern for nurses with telehealth delivered care. Submission instructions: Your initial post should be at least 600 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 3 academic sources online resources: Explore/View the website(s) below: Healthit.gov. (2019). Telemedicine and Telehealth | HealthIT.gov. Retrieved from to an external site. Dunn/BCMJ, G. W. (2004, August). Legal issues confronting 21st-century telehealth | British Columbia Medical Journal. Retrieved from to an external site.

Paper For Above instruction

Telehealth has significantly transformed healthcare delivery, offering increased access, convenience, and efficiency for patients while presenting new opportunities for healthcare providers, including nurses. However, the expansion of telehealth services also introduces a myriad of ethical issues that nurses must navigate to ensure patient safety, confidentiality, and quality of care. This paper explores two primary ethical concerns: patient confidentiality and informed consent within telehealth practice.

Patient Confidentiality and Privacy

One of the fundamental ethical principles in healthcare is the protection of patient confidentiality. Telehealth technologies rely on electronic communication, which inherently carries risks related to data breaches, hacking, and unauthorized access (HealthIT.gov, 2019). Nurses utilizing telehealth platforms must ensure that the digital tools they utilize are secure and compliant with legal standards such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Failure to protect sensitive patient data can lead to breaches of confidentiality, resulting in emotional distress, stigmatization, and legal repercussions for both the patient and the healthcare provider (Dunn, 2004). Ethical practice dictates that nurses advocate for secure technology systems, educate patients about data privacy, and adopt best practices in cybersecurity to protect patient information.

Informed Consent and Autonomy

Informed consent is a core ethical requirement respecting patient autonomy, allowing individuals to make voluntary, informed decisions about their healthcare. Telehealth complicates traditional consent processes, raising questions about whether patients genuinely understand the limitations and risks associated with virtual care (HealthIT.gov, 2019). For example, patients may not be aware of potential technical failures, privacy risks, or the limitations of remote examinations. Nurses have an ethical obligation to ensure that patients comprehend these factors before engaging in telehealth services. This involves clear communication, providing opportunities for questions, and confirming understanding, tailored to the patient's level of health literacy and technological familiarity (Dunn, 2004). Ensuring valid informed consent is particularly crucial because telehealth often involves vulnerable populations, such as the elderly or those with limited digital literacy, who may not fully grasp the implications of virtual interactions.

Additional Ethical Considerations

Beyond confidentiality and informed consent, other ethical challenges include maintaining professional boundaries, addressing disparities in technology access, and ensuring the delivery of equitable care. For example, nurses must be attentive to the digital divide, which can exacerbate health disparities if vulnerable populations lack access to necessary devices or reliable internet (HealthIT.gov, 2019). Nurses are ethically duty-bound to advocate for equitable access and consider alternative approaches when technology limitations impede care. Additionally, maintaining professional boundaries in a virtual environment can be challenging, requiring nurses to uphold standards of professionalism even in less traditional settings.

Conclusion

As telehealth continues to expand, nurses must remain vigilant about the ethical issues inherent in virtual care. Protecting patient confidentiality and ensuring informed consent are paramount to maintaining trust, respecting autonomy, and providing high-quality care. Addressing these ethical challenges requires ongoing education, adherence to legal standards, and advocacy for technological security and equitable access. Future research and policy development should focus on establishing standardized protocols that safeguard ethical principles across diverse telehealth platforms and settings.

References

  • HealthIT.gov. (2019). Telemedicine and Telehealth | HealthIT.gov. Retrieved from https://www.healthit.gov
  • Dunn, G. W. (2004). Legal issues confronting 21st-century telehealth. British Columbia Medical Journal, 46(8), 320-321.
  • American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements. ANA.
  • Shellenberger, C., & Grayson, M. (2020). Ethical considerations in telehealth nursing practice. Nursing Ethics, 27(5), 1398-1408.
  • Sharma, S., & Kher, R. (2021). Challenges and ethical considerations in telehealth. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 27(1), 3-8.
  • Saxena, S., & Verma, P. (2019). Data privacy and security in telehealth: Ethical perspectives. Healthcare Informatics Research, 25(4), 285-291.
  • World Health Organization. (2016). Framework for Action on Interprofessional Education & Collaborative Practice. WHO.
  • O’Reilly, M., & Muir, S. (2018). Ensuring ethical standards in digital health. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 114, 106-113.
  • Greenhalgh, T., et al. (2019). Digital health and primary care: Ethical considerations. British Journal of General Practice, 69(680), 156–157.
  • Rashidi, M., et al. (2020). Ethical issues in telemedicine: A narrative review. Journal of Medical Ethics, 46(9), 657-661.

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