Legal And Ethical Considerations In Child And Family Care Case Study 2022

Running head: LEGAL AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN CHILD AND FAMILY
CARE
LEGAL AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN CHILD AND FAMILY CARE
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LEGAL AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN CHILD AND FAMILY CARE1
Case Study 1
Introduction
The following case study will aim expound upon the key legal and ethical considerations
which the nurse has to adhere to, in response to preferences on vaccination avoidance by Julian
and David, the parents of the child, Mia Masterson, a child aged 6 weeks.
Discussion
Lethal and Ethical Issues
According to standard 1 of the professional standards enlisted by the Nursing and
Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA, 2016) nurses are obliged to practice patient centered
nursing care. Thus, as per the same, at a first glance, it may be assumed that the nurse in this case
must demonstrate clinical interventions via consideration of the David and Julian’s ant-
vaccination perceptions. In criticism, adherence to the same is likely to raise ethical issues with
regards to violation of ethical considerations of beneficence and non-maleficence – that is, the
nursing need to enhance benefits and minimize harm during patient care (Colgrove, 2019).
However, such ethical considerations are likely to raise an ethical dilemma in the form of
a violation of patient autonomy – the ethical practice of respecting the independent decisions of
patients (Ubel, Scherr & Fagerlin, 2017). Additionally, nursing compliance to Julian and David’s
anti-vaccination requests is likely to cause violation of NMBA (2016) standards 1 and 6, which
necessitates nurses to think critically and engage in safe and appropriate evidence based practice.
Scope of Practice
As per the regulatory guidelines established by the International Council of Nurses (ICN,
2010), nursing activities pertaining to medication administration or procedure performance are

LEGAL AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN CHILD AND FAMILY CARE2
considered within the scope of nursing practice only in the presence of an order, record or
statement by additional health professionals and patients. However, as per the ICN (2010) scope
of practice guidelines, nurses are completely permitted to counsel or provide healthcare based
education to patients, communities or groups. Thus, with respect to the case study, while the
nurse may not be permitted to engage in vaccination administration without inter-professional
consultation, the scope of delivering healthcare education can inform nursing mitigation of this
case study.
Nursing Action
Based on the above identified ethical and legal considerations, as well as the scope of
practice, a key nursing action which the registered nurse in this scenario can undertake is
dissemination of patient education (Johnstone, 2017). This will comprise of educating Julian and
David concerning the potential health implications associated with avoidance of vaccination.
Additionally, it will also comprise of a patient centered discussion where the nurse will educate
the parent’s concerns using evidence based research, for example: till date, there has been no
scientifically validated causal link proven between vaccines and autism (Gilroy, 2019).
Holistic Care
With respect to this case study, considering the perceptions held by Mia’s parents, the
nurse can conduct comprehensive and holistic assessments which will comprise of present
biological, psychological and social screening of Mia as well as nursing education on future
implications in case of vaccine avoidance (Hussain et al., 2018). Additionally, to provide
comprehensive care, the nurse can collaborate with the multidisciplinary team to educate as well
as encourage Mia’s parents to engage in periodic follow ups and health assessment of Mia for

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timely mitigation of complications in case they adhere to their decision of vaccine avoidance
(Hornsey, Harris & Fielding, 2018).
Conclusion
Thus, to conclude, this section provided a brief yet detailed insight into the key ethical,
legal and practice considerations to be adhered to, with respect to the anti-vaccination
perceptions held by Mia’s parents. To conclude, there may be a need for the nurse to deliver
educational and collaborative practice with regards to nursing scope of professional practice.
Case Study 2
Introduction
The following section will aim to briefly expound upon the key legal, ethical and scope
of practice implications to be considered, with respect to the case of Taylah – 15 year old
teenager who has recently been diagnosed with Chlamydia, and is skeptical of informing the
same to her parents.
Discussion
Lethal and Ethical Issues
At a first glance, withdrawing of relevant information by the nurse may seem to be an
ethically compliant decision with relevance to adherence to the nursing need to respect patient
autonomy and uniqueness of decisions via patient centered practice (Zimmermann, 2019).
Additionally, as per section 49 of the Minors (Property and Contracts) Act 1970 as well as the
Consent to Medical Treatment and Palliative Care Act 1995 across New South Wales and South
Australian governments, adolescents like Taylah, within the age group of 15 to 16 years, have
the right to provide consent in the absence of parental consultation in response treatments on