Transition to Registered Nursing

1
Transition to Registered Nursing

• Ethics and Legal Issues of Professional Nursing
• West Coast University
• Week 8

2
Objectives

• Discuss Ethics as it applies to professional
  nursing practice
• Describe legal issues
• Present a case study to discuss ethical
  decision-making

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First lets look at some words

• Values
• Beliefs that guide our thoughts and actions
• Morals
• Rules of right and wrong that guide decisions and
  behavior the faithful observance to non-codified
  personal beliefs
• Ethics
• How people act because of a moral standard the
  formal and systematic study of moral beliefs

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First lets look at some words

• Bioethics
• Ethical theories and principles in health care
  situations
• Applied ethics
• Put into practice
• Ethical dilemma
• Conflicts between two or more ethical principles

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Teleology (utilitarianism)

• Humanistic and out-come orientated approach
• The greatest good for the greatest number
• The end justifies the means

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Deontology

• The right or wrong of an action is dependent upon
  the morality of the action
• The action is moral if it is based on good will
• To do ones duty is right
• To not do ones duty is wrong

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Ethical Principles in Professional Nursing
Practice

• Justice
• Autonomy
• Beneficence
• Nonbeneficence (Nonmalefiecence)
• Fidelity
• Veracity

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Nurses Code of Ethics

• 2001 Provisions
• Nine
• http//nursingworld.org/ethics/code/protected_nwco
  e303.htm

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Provisions

• Practice with compassion and respect regardless
  of social, economic or personal attributes
• Primary commitment to the patient individual,
  family, group, or community

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Provisions

• Promotes, advocates and strives to protect
  health, safety and patient rights
• Accountable for individual nursing practice and
  delegates appropriately to provide optimum care
• Cares for self as others and continues
  professional growth

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Provisions

• Participates in establishing, maintaining, and
  improving health care environments and working
  conditions for quality health care
• Participates in advancement of the profession
  through practice, education, administration and
  knowledge development

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Provisions

• Collaborates with other health professionals and
  the public promoting community, national and
  international efforts to meet health needs
• The profession of nursing is responsible for
  articulating nursing values to maintain integrity
  of the profession, its practice and shaping
  social policy

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Ethical decision-making
Step Thoughts
Clarify the ethical dilemma
Gather the data
Identify options
Making decisions
Choosing a course of action
Evaluation
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Legal Issues

• Torts
• intentional or unintentional civil wrong that
  results in physical, emotional or economic harm

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Legal Issues

• Negligence
• A reasonable act that a prudent person would not
  have done in a same or similar situation

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Legal Issues

• Malpractice
• Professional negligence
• Good Samaritan Law
• If you act prudently you can not be sued

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Legal Issues

• Assault
• A threat or attempt to make physical contact with
  someone that does not desire contact
• Battery
• A completed assault someone has physical
  contact that did not give permission or consent

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Legal Issues

• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
  Act (HIPPA)
• Not an option, patients need to know, can have
  copies of medical records
• Protected Health Information (PHI)
• Cant trace or lead to patient identification
• Nurse Practice Act
• Defines and describes the scope of nursing
  practice

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What would you do????

• Mr. J 63 y/o Hispanic male who has recently had a
  bilateral BKA due to diabetic foot ulcers. He
  lives alone and refuses anymore care. He demands
  to go home, his family refuses to care for him,
  and refuses home health.

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Next Week

• Final
• Are you taking practice tests?