Ethical issues in Nursing Assesment

Running head: ETHICAL ISSUES
Ethical issues in Nursing
Student Name
University Name
Author Note

1
Nursing
Answer to Question 1:
Most nurses believe their ethical obligation is also evident because their legal
obligation is clear. Many nurses also say their legal obligation either coincides with their
ethical obligation, or decides it. When I was in my placement program as a nursing graduate,
I was delegated under the supervision of RN Amanda Jones who has been associated with the
healthcare organization for the last eleven years. It could be deduced from her experience that
she is among the senior-most registered nurses in the hospital under whom there are
numerous recent registered nurse graduates and enrolled nurses. During the placement
program, I have been part of a nursing team of five people comprising of me, RN Amanda
Jones, EN Sylvia Pratt, Oliver Choi and Chloe Baker. The RN and the EN were the ones who
were delegated to teach us about the nursing codes and the way in which the patient is
provided with care in a professional and practical surrounding. It was crucial for me to gain
an exposure in the practical environment where real-time patients with critical illnesses are
brought in each minute. However, when a patient suffering from cardiovascular diseases was
brought in after suffering from stroke, the competency of the nurses and us that were put to
test. It is because of the incapacity of the individual to clearly distinguish the type of
treatment that is to be provided to the critically ill patient. After observing the subjective cues
of the symptoms that have been experienced by the patient, certain assessments and
examinations were needed to be conducted to understand and infer the root of the problem.
The blood pressure of the subject was found to be 140 mm Hg. However, after conducting a
CT scan, it could be inferred that he had suffered a Concussion on the left side of his brain. It
is because of this reason that mild sedative had been administered and was kept under
observation by me, RN Amanda and Chloe. However, the situation deteriorated further over
the night of the administration and hence, was critical for Amanda and Sylvia to consult the

2
Nursing
doctor again and administer medication with a higher dosage to maintain the medical
condition of the patient.
Answer to Question 2:
From the clinical situation of the patient, it could be inferred that his situation was
critical and needed immediate intervention of the physician and the nursing professionals.
According to the subjective cues, it could be understood that the patient is experiencing
headache and feels dizzy. Upon assessment, it was found that the blood pressure was
extremely high with systolic pressure at 140 mm Hg. Initially the patient was unable to
respond to any of the questions that had been asked by me and Oliver. Upon examining his
blood pressure, it was seen that the systolic pressure was 140 mm Hg. Hence, from this it can
be interpreted that his blood pressure was above the normal level and required immediate
attention. In addition, it was also crucial for the registered nurse to conduct examinations and
assessments such that the root of the issue could be deduced. The initial question of the senior
nurse was to deduce as to how this case could be managed effectively and the required
information that could be gathered to understand the issue of the patient more appropriately
(Flannery, Ramjan & Peters, 2016). The appropriate tests for the patient who is experiencing
symptoms similar to stroke should be taken for a CT scan to produce computed images of the
body by which the areas where hemorrhage is present, could be observed. The decision of the
nurse to undertake the patient for a medical examination was crucial depending upon the
criticality of the medical condition of the patient. In addition, as time passed by, the patient
was feeling breathlessness (Oxelmark et al., 2018). Hence, it was upon the decision of
Amanda to administer oxygen support to the patient after discussing it with the concerned
physician. It was new for me as a graduate to observe the escalation of the medical condition
of the patient and encounter the decision-making ability of the nurse in a distressing time.