Health Law and Ethics - Operating Theatre

Health Law and Ethics
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Table of Contents
Case study 1...............................................................................................................................3
Introduction/overview................................................................................................................3
Reflection...................................................................................................................................3
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................4
Case Study 2...............................................................................................................................5
Introduction/overview................................................................................................................5
Reflection...................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................8
Case study 3...............................................................................................................................8
Introduction/overview................................................................................................................8
Reflection...................................................................................................................................9
Conclusion................................................................................................................................10
References................................................................................................................................10
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Case study 1
Introduction/overview
I have started my internship in the operating theatre (OT) at the Sunshine Coast University
Hospital (SCUH). I have to assist a registered nurse or midwife. The list covered
gynaecology procedures and I have just taken the consent of my first patient with a RM. The
patient refused to give consent to have a student observe or assist in the procedure. My RM
mentor asked me to come into the theatre with her. I have stated that I am not allowed to go
into the theatre as the patient does not want students to come inside theatre while they are
under anaesthesia. I am highly stressed and confused about what to do and what not. I have
received a huge opportunity to learn practically, but patient also has the right to refuse the
engagement of students. Similarly, it is the responsibility of the RM to consider the wishes of
students as well as patients.
Reflection
As per the Provision 1.4 of Code of Ethics with interpretative statements mentioned in the
American Nurses Association (2015), the responsibilities of the nurses in support of patients
include right to self-determination (ANA, 2015). It is the moral and legal right of the patients
to determine what could be done with and to their own personality. According to this
provision, it is the specific responsibility of the nurse to take informed consent of the nurses
(Lachman, 2016). The consent of the patients should be received if they would allow student
nurses or any other external learners to their wards or OTs and they cannot take students with
them until patients give their consent (International Council of Nurses, 2012).
Similarly, the ICN Code of Ethics for Nurses states that the primary responsibility of the
nurses is to care about the people in need of the nursing care (ANA, 2015). In this context, it
is essential for the nurses to ensure that the individual receives accurate, sufficient and
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appropriate information in culturally suitable manner regarding which to base the consent for
care as well as related treatment (International Council of Nurses, 2012; Johnstone, 2015). As
the nurse possesses lot of confidential personal information, they need to utilize their
judgment in sharing such information with others (ANA, 2015). It is essential for the RNs to
follow proper code of conduct and professional ethics in order to be in compliant with the
ethical conduct in the nursing practices (Anthony & Stablein, 2016).
In this case, when the consent was not provided by the patient, it is essential not to involve
the student along with them in the theatre to the patient. The patient holds the right to have
confidentiality and privacy and can suggest if they need student nurses to enter in their
theatre with the RM or RN (Australian Nursing and Midwifery Journal (ANMJ), 2015). At
the same time, it is essential for the RN to be concerned about the student nurses as well. The
students need the opportunity to practice their skills practically when they are placed in
clinics or hospitals (ANA, 2015).
One such example has been experienced by me during the catheterization, when a patient
refused to get the process done in front of me. It also affected my learning experience;
however, the case is not the same with all the patients, as all the patients do not refuse entry
of students in their wards (Johnstone, 2016). So, I went to my facilitator and consulted with
him and explained that if I will not learn from here, I will not get to learn from anywhere else
(ANA, 2015). Then, the facilitator consulted with the buddy nurse and she explained the
matter to the patient that there is no harm in having student inside the ward and they are
allowed inside to learn through practical knowledge. When student nurses deal with the
patients practically, it develops their skills and practice efficiencies (Lachman, 2016).
Conclusion
After reflection on the analysis of the condition of the student nurses and their learning
requirements, it has been identified that the opportunities provided to the student nurses to
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