Ethical Dilemma

Full Answer Section

Here is a challenging situation in my nursing career that required me to consider the ethical dimensions of the patient case and the role I played in providing care:

I was working as a nurse in a hospital when I was assigned to care for a patient who was refusing treatment. The patient was a young woman who had been diagnosed with cancer. She was refusing chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which were the only treatments that could save her life.

I was faced with an ethical dilemma. I knew that the patient had the right to refuse treatment, but I also knew that she was making a decision that could cost her her life. I felt that I had a duty to try to convince her to change her mind, but I also did not want to violate her autonomy.

I talked to the patient about her decision and why she was making it. I explained the risks of refusing treatment and the potential benefits of accepting treatment. I also listened to her concerns and tried to understand her point of view.

In the end, the patient decided to continue refusing treatment. I respected her decision, even though I disagreed with it. I continued to provide her with care and support, and I made sure that she was comfortable and informed.

This experience taught me that ethical dilemmas are not always easy to resolve. There is often no clear right or wrong answer, and nurses have to make decisions based on their own values and beliefs. It is important for nurses to be aware of the ethical dimensions of their work and to be prepared to make difficult decisions.

Sample Answer

An ethical dilemma is a situation in which there is no clear right or wrong answer. Nurses are often faced with ethical dilemmas, as they are responsible for making decisions that affect the health and well-being of their patients.

The statement "What may be an ethical dilemma for one registered nurse may not be an ethical dilemma for another registered nurse" is true because different nurses have different values and beliefs. What one nurse may consider to be an ethical violation, another nurse may not. For example, one nurse may believe that it is unethical to withhold information from a patient, while another nurse may believe that it is sometimes necessary to withhold information in order to protect the patient.