Nurses Role in End of Life Decisions : Essay
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Added on 2020-04-21
Nurses Role in End of Life Decisions : Essay
Added on 2020-04-21
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Running head: NURSING END OF LIFE DECISIONSEnd of life decisionsName of the StudentName of the UniversityAuthor Note
NURSING END OF LIFE DECISIONS 1All patients are entitled with the rights of receiving quality care, which allows them tolive healthy until they die. This quality patient care is generally provided by physicians andnurses. Often people who approach the end of their lives, along with their family members facedecisions and tasks, which include an array of simple and complex choices (Erbguth & Erbguth,2016). This essay will therefore elaborate on the role of nurses in taking such decisions, the legalisseus and legislations that are associated with such instances.Effect of regulatory control- The principal function of regulatory framework is ensuringcompliance with various standards to protect patients from health risks. A regulatoryenvironment ensures a higher quality of healthcare service that meets provides patientsatisfaction (Evans et al., 2013). These assist patients, family members and policy makers to holdthe organizations that are accountable for measuring the effectiveness and reliability of the caregiven to dying patients (McMahan et al., 2013). Furthermore, these end-of-life regulatory bodiespromote systematic research related to the organizational, clinical and financial avenues for end-of-life care. Effect of legislations- Several policies are formulated with the aim of organizing anational response to meet the problems associated with end-of-life care. Important legalprinciples are formulated by the state courts that help healthcare workers to arrive at a consensus(Sprung et al., 2014). There are several EOL laws such as, the End of Life Option Act, ABX2-15(AB-15), California and the Proposition 106, the End of Life Options Act, Colorado that createprovisions for patients who lack decision making capacity to authorize surrogate decisionmakers. Similarly, the End of Life Law and Policy, Canada allow terminally ill patients to makemedical decisions. Furthermore, the courts draw a differentiation between intentional patientdeath and death that occurs due to withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments. Legal consensus
NURSING END OF LIFE DECISIONS 2states that withhold or withdrawal of such treatment is justifiable, if not asked for by the patient.The legislations are often utilized to formulate advance directives, which are considered legallyvalid across the United States (Periyakoil et al., 2014). These are legal documents that allow aperson to specify what treatment measures should be taken at end of their life if they fail to makedecisions due to incapacity or illness (Raijmakers et al., 2012). Moreover, the polices containfinancing options such as, Medicare and Medicaid, which cover the associated costs that thebeneficiaries are eligible to obtain till their death (Teno et al., 2013). The EOL policies alsoprovide hospice care where the emotional, social, psychological and spiritual needs of the peopleare identified and cared for until the end of their life. These hospice cares therefore involvephysiotherapy, occupational therapy, rehabilitation, bereavement and respite care to the patients. Role of nurses- The nursing staff has several responsibilities related to end-of-life care ofpatients. These responsibilities range from recognition of the changes in patient health conditionto offering them support and compassion and understanding the preferences of the patient. Theprimary role of nurses is concerned with providing compassionate care to dying people and theirfamily members. It is essential to make these decisions after consulting healthcare professionalsbecause they will be able to provide information on the risks and benefits of the proposedtreatment. They identify futile disputes and help in providing superior quality EOL care. Theirrole involves effective collaboration with the healthcare team members to ensure that availabilityof optimal symptom management and support for the patient (Albers et al., 2014). The brunt ofgrief is often borne by nurses as the patients reach their end-of-life (Piers et al., 2012). Nurses areresponsible for identifying options that are no longer beneficial. However, they face severalethical issues that are associated with the complex process of decision making and patientautonomy rights, the application of advance directives and the high expenditure related to end of
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