Week Four Paper Will Address And Answer The Following Three

Week Four Paper Will Address And Answer the Followingthree Setsof Ques

Week Four Paper will address and answer the following three sets of questions:

Question One: Negligence and Malpractice in Nursing

Read the articles titled “Protecting Yourself from Malpractice Claims,” “Nurses, Negligence, and Malpractice,” and “7 Legal Tips for Safe Nursing Practice.” Based on these readings, answer the following:

• a. What was the most important information you gained from these articles?
• b. What are the elements that must be present for there to be a valid claim of negligence?

Comment on the following scenario: A comatose patient is admitted with a urinary tract infection (UTI). The registered nurse documents turning the patient every 2 hours but did not actually perform the turning. The UTI resolves, and the patient is discharged without any other changes in pre-hospital condition.

• c. Was the RN negligent? Why or why not?
• d. Was the RN’s behavior ethical? Why or why not?
• e. Would any of your answers change if the patient had developed a bedsore during hospitalization? How?

Question Two: Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide

Read the summary of the Supreme Court case reviewing the Oregon Death with Dignity Act, the story of Brittany Maynard, the case of Gonzalez v. Oregon, and articles on “Legalizing Euthanasia or Assisted Suicide: The Illusion of Safeguards and Controls,” as well as the State-by-State Guide to Physician-Assisted Suicide. Based on these resources, answer:

• a. What is the difference between euthanasia and assisted suicide?
• b. Explore your personal thoughts and feelings on the legality of assisted suicide and euthanasia. Should Florida follow Oregon’s example?
• c. What guidance is provided in the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics (e.g., Interpretive Statement to Provision One) regarding euthanasia and assisted suicide?
• d. What is the ANA’s official position on euthanasia and assisted suicide, as expressed in their Position Statement?

Question Three: End-of-Life Decision-Making and Ethical Considerations

Read the article “How We Die” and answer the following: What actions could have been taken to prevent the situation described? Additionally, explain how refusing treatment differs from euthanasia or assisted suicide.

Paper For Above instruction

In this paper, I will explore the critical themes of nursing negligence and malpractice, the ethical and legal dilemmas surrounding euthanasia and assisted suicide, and end-of-life decision-making from an ethical perspective.

Negligence and Malpractice in Nursing

The articles I reviewed highlight the importance of understanding legal risks and practicing within the boundaries of nursing standards. The most vital insight was the emphasis on diligent documentation and adherence to care protocols to protect both patients and practitioners from malpractice claims (American Nurses Association, 2021). Proper documentation serves as a legal safeguard and ensures accountability. The elements requisite for a negligence claim include duty, breach of duty, causation, and damages (Garrity & Whelan, 2017). For instance, in the scenario where the RN failed to turn the patient as documented, the breach of duty directly contributed to the development of a bedsore—a clear example of negligence if the turning was a standard part of care.

In evaluating whether the RN was negligent, it is necessary to consider if the documented care was performed or merely documented. Since the nurse did not actually turn the patient, despite documenting otherwise, this constitutes a breach of duty, fulfilling the elements for negligence. Ethically, such falsification breaches professional integrity and trust—core values underpinning the nursing code of ethics (ANA, 2015). If the patient developed a bedsore, the severity of negligence would increase, as it indicates a direct failure in providing necessary care, thus reinforcing the breach and ethical failure.

Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: Ethical and Legal Perspectives

The primary difference between euthanasia and assisted suicide lies in who administers the life-ending intervention. Euthanasia involves a physician or third party actively causing the patient’s death, often through lethal injection, whereas assisted suicide entails the patient voluntarily ending their life with provided means (Dowbiggin, 2003). The case of Brittany Maynard exemplifies the debate: she chose assisted death due to terminal brain cancer, reflecting personal autonomy but raising ethical debates about the sanctity of life and societal implications.

Personally, I believe that assisted dying should be legal under strict safeguards, respecting patient autonomy and alleviating suffering. Florida might consider replicating Oregon’s model, as it has demonstrated careful regulation and transparency (Oregon Health Authority, 2022). Ethical guidance from the ANA emphasizes compassionate, patient-centered care, respecting patients’ rights to make decisions about their end-of-life care while ensuring informed consent and avoiding coercion (ANA, 2015). The positioning statement by the ANA discourages euthanasia but supports palliative care and valid advance directives, framing these as ethical responses aligned with professional standards.

End-of-Life Decision-Making and Prevention of Unwanted Suffering

Referring to “How We Die,” many end-of-life tragedies could have been mitigated through earlier discussions about patient wishes, implementation of advanced directives, and comprehensive palliative care. Such measures help prevent unnecessary suffering and unwanted aggressive interventions. Refusing treatment differs ethically from euthanasia or assisted suicide; it involves withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment when it no longer aligns with the patient’s wishes or best interests, whereas euthanasia or assisted suicide intentionally seeks to end life prematurely to relieve suffering (Beauchamp & Childress, 2019). These distinctions are crucial in ethical and legal debates, emphasizing autonomy and patient rights.

Conclusion

In conclusion, ethical nursing practice requires diligence, honesty, and adherence to legal standards to prevent negligence. Respecting patient autonomy, especially concerning end-of-life choices, involves a nuanced understanding of ethical principles and legal frameworks. Careful communication, documentation, and compassion form the cornerstone of ethically responsible healthcare delivery.

References

• American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements. ANA.
• American Nurses Association. (2021). Protecting Yourself from Malpractice Claims. ANA Publications.
• Garrity, T., & Whelan, T. (2017). Nursing Law and Ethics (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
• Dowbiggin, I. (2003). A Concise History of Euthanasia. Yale University Press.
• Oregon Health Authority. (2022). Oregon Death with Dignity Act. Retrieved from https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/ProviderPartnerResources/EvaluationResearch/deathwithdignityAct/Pages/index.aspx
• Gawthrop, J., & Morrison, G. (2019). End-of-Life Ethics: A Guide for Patients and Families. Routledge.
• Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2019). Principles of Biomedical Ethics (8th ed.). Oxford University Press.
• Gonzalez v. Oregon, 546 U.S. 243 (2006). U.S. Supreme Court.
• Rogers, M. (2018). Assisted Suicide, Euthanasia, and the Law. Journal of Medical Ethics, 44(2), 87-91.
• Harvey, J. (2020). The Ethics of Assisted Dying. Medical Law Review, 28(3), 403-420.