Is The Nurse Ethically Obligated To Honor The Parents Wishing
Reflection paper: Is the nurse ethically obligated to tell the patient about the decline in his condition, or is the nurse ethically obligated to honor the parents’ wishes?
One of the most difficult and challenging issues in the medical practice, when the patient is terminally ill or has a bad prognosis, and there is a debate between the caring family and the health care staff about telling or withholding the information.
In order to respect the patient`s autonomous options, it is obligatory to carefully discuss his or her options with regard to decision-making, including information about the patient`s prognosis. It is true that the health care team has an ethical and moral obligation to inform the patient about his or her health, and what are the therapeutic alternatives available, but still there are case to case differences, and decisions are made accordingly. …show more content…
To start with, mentally alert does not mean that the patient is capable to make his own medical decisions, and since he is consider minor ( depend on the states he lives in ), I feel that his parent can decide for him, and that could be justified for many reasons; first, he is considered minor and not capable to make medical decisions, second since there is a bad prognosis, so telling him will not be beneficial for him to discuss any further medical testing, procedures or medications, third it is better for him and his family to enjoy the remaining days of his life with no additional pain and depression the bad news might
One of the most difficult and challenging issues in the medical practice, when the patient is terminally ill or has a bad prognosis, and there is a debate between the caring family and the health care staff about telling or withholding the information.
In order to respect the patient`s autonomous options, it is obligatory to carefully discuss his or her options with regard to decision-making, including information about the patient`s prognosis. It is true that the health care team has an ethical and moral obligation to inform the patient about his or her health, and what are the therapeutic alternatives available, but still there are case to case differences, and decisions are made accordingly. …show more content…
To start with, mentally alert does not mean that the patient is capable to make his own medical decisions, and since he is consider minor ( depend on the states he lives in ), I feel that his parent can decide for him, and that could be justified for many reasons; first, he is considered minor and not capable to make medical decisions, second since there is a bad prognosis, so telling him will not be beneficial for him to discuss any further medical testing, procedures or medications, third it is better for him and his family to enjoy the remaining days of his life with no additional pain and depression the bad news might