State Regulation and Nursing Standards
A. State Regulations and Nursing Standards
Nurses who are currently licensed to practice in the State of California are required to adhere to title 16, California Code of Regulations. Under the section of Standards of Competent Performance, part 6, a registered nurse “Acts as the client’s advocate, as circumstances require, by initiating action to improve health care or to change decisions or activities which are against the interests or wishes of the client, and by giving the client the opportunity to take informed decisions about health care before it is provided”.
In this scenario the emergency room physician, Dr. K, had determined that the patient, Mr. E, is suffering from lung congestion, would need immediate medical intervention in order to survive. Based on Mr. E’s diagnoses, Dr. K thought that Mr. E may not understand the urgency of the required medical intervention. Dr. K asks the nurse to speak to the patient’s brother, Mr. Y, who is the authorized person to make medical decisions for him when he is not able to. In addition, Mr. E has an advance directive on file indicating he did not want a ventilator or cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The previously stated Code of Regulations implied that the nurse should be an advocate for the patient in improving his health through direct and indirect means. A nurse can positively affect a patients health by direct contact and interaction and also indirectly by providing vital information on the patient’s options and status. In this scenario, the nurse should follow the code of regulations by relaying all information to the patient’s family. This action can ensure that a decision is made with all available information.
Nursing Codes of Ethics
According to the American Nurses Associations Code of Ethics (ANA) provision 1.4, “respect for human dignity requires the recognition of specific patient rights, particularly, the right of self-determination” (Nursing World, Code of Ethics). By means of
Nurses who are currently licensed to practice in the State of California are required to adhere to title 16, California Code of Regulations. Under the section of Standards of Competent Performance, part 6, a registered nurse “Acts as the client’s advocate, as circumstances require, by initiating action to improve health care or to change decisions or activities which are against the interests or wishes of the client, and by giving the client the opportunity to take informed decisions about health care before it is provided”.
In this scenario the emergency room physician, Dr. K, had determined that the patient, Mr. E, is suffering from lung congestion, would need immediate medical intervention in order to survive. Based on Mr. E’s diagnoses, Dr. K thought that Mr. E may not understand the urgency of the required medical intervention. Dr. K asks the nurse to speak to the patient’s brother, Mr. Y, who is the authorized person to make medical decisions for him when he is not able to. In addition, Mr. E has an advance directive on file indicating he did not want a ventilator or cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The previously stated Code of Regulations implied that the nurse should be an advocate for the patient in improving his health through direct and indirect means. A nurse can positively affect a patients health by direct contact and interaction and also indirectly by providing vital information on the patient’s options and status. In this scenario, the nurse should follow the code of regulations by relaying all information to the patient’s family. This action can ensure that a decision is made with all available information.
Nursing Codes of Ethics
According to the American Nurses Associations Code of Ethics (ANA) provision 1.4, “respect for human dignity requires the recognition of specific patient rights, particularly, the right of self-determination” (Nursing World, Code of Ethics). By means of
References: Title 16, California Code of Regulations. (online) Available at: http://www.rn.ca.gov/regulations/title16.shtml#1443.5. (Last Accessed 12/07/2012) Code of Ethics for Nurses With Interpretive Statements. (online) Available at: http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/CodeofEthicsforNurses/Code-of-Ethics.pdf (Last Accessed 12/06/2012) Berman, A., Snyder, S., Kozier, B., & Erb, G. (2012). Kozier & erb’s fundamentals of nursing: concepts, process, and practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.