Case Study on Bioethics

Running head: CASE STUDY ON BIOETHICS
Case Study on Bioethics
Name of Student:
Name of University:
Author’s Note:

CASE STUDY ON BIOETHICS
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Introduction
The essay outlines the case study which examines the legal and ethical consideration and
responsibilities of the nurse in relation to providing awareness and education regarding
contraception. The registered nurse is the responsible body to make the ethical decision
regarding the quality of care given (Kanu, 2017). They maintain the ethical and legal boundary
with the patient. The major problem identified in the case study is vaiolation of ethical and legal
law that need to be maintained by the registered nurse and health care professionals.
Highlighting the case scenario, Taylah is ignorant regarding the ways of contraception. Tahlay
was sent to a health clinic to be investigated by the registered nurse to know the problem. While
studying Taylah, the nurse noticed that she is not having any relevant information about the
sexually transmitted disease, methods of contraception and ways to maintain a healthy personal
life. The problem highlighted in the case study is serious as this can lead to several unavoidable
situations in life of care seeker. She may encounter STD without using contraception. It is
evident from the case scenario that she is addicted to drug and alcohol; she is not having a
practical idea about the worse condition she may face. To encounter the case, the school
administration has asked the health care professional to provide valuable knowledge about
contraception and STD. However, in the case there is lack of legal and ethical consideration as
no consent was asked from the guardian and many personal questions was asked. The privacy
and confidentiality of student information is in stake. The paper highlights various bioethical and
legal issue in relation with the case scenario. The paper focusses on the Biomedical Ethics of
Beauchamp and Childress’, Gillick competence and consent from the guardian in order to
recognise various legal and ethical issue in reference with the case scenario. Various suggestion
are also given in the paper to meet the solutions of the issues.
Legal and Ethical Consideration: Analysis
Concerning the ethical and legal consideration, the ethical issue in the health care sector
is making the decision for the care of the patient when they are unable to do that for them and
needs to follow basic principle by the nurse (Jacobs, 2016). To maintain privacy and
confidentiality about the personal information of the patient is the most important ethical and
legal issue in the domain of health care (Johnstone & Facn, 2019). The basic four principles of
Biomedical Ethics of Beauchamp and Childress’ are autonomy, justice, beneficence and non-

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maleficence. Autonomy principle deals with patients consent, choice and respect (Mathews, Lee
& Norman, 2016). The health care professional needs to give suggestion and advice in reference
to the choice of the patient (Johnstone & Facn, 2019). Any activity of the nurse that tends to
persuade the care seeker in making their own choice is the violation of the autonomy principle.
Justice highlights about fair and equal information given by the nurse. Beneficence deals with
doing good for the patient. The nurse must benefit the patient and to take appropriate step to
prevent and remove the occurrence of harm from the care seeker. Lastly, non-maleficence
reflects about the procedure that does not tends to harm the patients. This highlighted principle is
the guide for the nurse to take the ethical decision for providing quality care to the patients.
Focusing on the legal issue, the nurse must communicate with the patient for their concerns.
Based on the problem statement, the nurse should provide the required interventions.
From the case scenario it is seen that in conversation with the patient, the nurse was
investigating regarding the sexual relations which is violating of respect and dignity of the
patient. The nurse has also asked a few personal questions, in which the Taylah was quite
uncomfortable to answer it. The nurse must have asked those question in indirect means without
making the patient uncomfortable. The ultimate solution can be to ask permission before going
too personal. It is seen from the case scenario that though the nurse asked consent from the care
seeker, according to the legal issues, it is the ultimate decision of the patient to answer it.
According to the Privacy Act (1974) nurse is responsible for collecting, using, maintaining, and
distribute personal information about the patient and need to keep a record of it in a federal
agency. Therefore, the nurse has to maintain the confidentiality and privacy of the patient
information (Ten Have, 2015).
The second issue noticed in the case scenario is violation of Gillick competence. Test of
Gillick competency in the medical sector is quite important. It states that if the patient is under
the age of 16, parental consent is required before giving any medical treatment. If the patient is
above the age of 16, they are regarded as autonomous adult. It seen in the case scenario, Taylah
is a teenage who is given medical treatment without the consent from their parents. This issue is
violating the law. The nurse have not checked whether the child is Gillick competence or not
before giving medical treatment. According to Gillick competency, health practitioner cannot
give advice or treatment about the contraception to the patient who is under 16 years of age. It is