Case Study Analysis: Jasmine - Adolescent Healthcare Challenges

This case study centers on Jasmine, a 15-year-old student who has recently become sexually active and is seeking contraceptive pills without her parents' knowledge. It explores the ethical and legal responsibilities of healthcare professionals in this scenario, including informed consent, confidentiality, and the application of relevant Australian laws regarding adolescent sexual health and abortion. The case study also considers cultural aspects, especially if Jasmine is from a non-English speaking background, and highlights potential health risks, such as STIs. The analysis emphasizes the importance of healthcare providers navigating complex ethical dilemmas and legal frameworks while providing appropriate care and support to the adolescent patient, including counseling and education on safe sexual practices.

Running head: CASE STUDY ON JASMINE
Case Study on Jasmine
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
This case study depicted the life story of Jasmine, who is a 15-year-old
student. As per the case study, the patient is reported to recently have a sexual
relationship with her boyfriend who was two years older than her and attended the
same school. Her boyfriend had two sexual partners before, but it was the first time
for her. Although, she seems to be happy with her present relationship but fears of
getting pregnant and wants to take contraceptive pills without letting her parents
know.
Considering the above scenario, the healthcare professionals including
nurses may face conflicts with respect to their ethical and legal responsibilities
towards the patient. Thus, the essay highlights on the ethics and laws fundamental
to professional conduct among the healthcare professionals with an overview of the
cultural aspects in relation to the case and also a brief description of the adverse
health effects related to the above scenario.
Part A
Professional and Legal Responsibilities –
For a health care professional, proving quality care is very crucial for both the
patient as well as for them. However, providing an enhanced and quality care can be
often challenging for them since there are a lot of ethical and legal responsibilities
considered while delivering care to the patients. Consent is always taken from the
patients of all age groups regarding their decision about the treatment, provided that
they are supplied with all the necessary information and advices given by the
medical experts or health workers. Every health workers must provide adequate
information to the patients and inform them about the treatment approaches or
options available to make them participate in the decision making process and
respect their decision completely. If any health worker is found to be violating this
role, are considered to be negligent.
The common law of Australia applied in medical practices has specifically
legislated the appropriate age of giving informed consent prior to giving treatment.
Although, the common law states that the appropriate age is 18years for giving

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informed consent to treatment, the common law relating to a minor’s competency to
consent established by “Gillick” and approved by the High Court of Australia in a
case, “Marion’s Case” states that the parent’s authority decreases progressively with
time when their child becomes competent. Therefore, Gillick suggests that the
parental right of determining and deciding their child’s treatment terminates when the
child under 16 years of age is able to understand fully the medical treatment
proposed.
It is the professional duty of the health care providers to maintain
confidentiality of the patients for privacy issues while providing care to the patients of
any age (2). The exemptions to maintain confidentiality are considered from both
ethical and legal aspects, where the patient consents to disclosure, or the patient
has expressed consent through verbal or written permission to disclose their
information to a third party.
The health care providers must apply the ethical considerations of their
professions. The issue of confidentiality refers not to share the information related to
the patients to other people but in order to plan and implement the necessary
intervention strategies addressing the patient’s issues and concerns, it is important
to maintain their duty of care by building a relationship of mutual trust to facilitate an
effective delivery of an enhanced care for an improved health outcome.
In some cases, it may be possible that the health care providers may have to
inform to the third parties. Third parties include parents or any other person who can
take care of the patients as well (4).Moreover, the nurses may have to maintain
conditional confidentiality which indicates that the concerns are partly provided to the
patients without giving them direct information. This includes simple explanations of
various concerns provided by the nurse that cannot be informed to the patients
directly (3). Therefore, in this case, the conditional confidentiality may be applied to
the patient Jasmine as she is only 15 years old.
Considering the legal responsibility of the health care professionals, it is
reported that the medical professionals should consider all the related legislation and
practices related to the delivery of care to the adolescents. Therefore, the health
care professionals must consider client’s legal rights and must maintain the
legislative considerations throughout the treatment process as well. Apart from that,

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the health care providers must consider the recommendations of the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare regarding the adolescent’s rights (3). Medical
professionals must work within the ethical and legal framework applied to the
scenario such as informed consent and maintaining confidentiality that are
considered crucial in the care delivery process.
Part B
In Australia, the law related to abortion is very strict, and it is maintained in all
the states and territories of the country. In Australia, the issue of abortion or
contraception is considered as one of the most common criminal law. However, the
case is different for the Australian Capital Territory. According to Government laws of
Australia, it can be stated that consumption of any kind of the components in order to
commit the miscarriage of the child, can be referred to as unlawful practice(5). The
crime of unlawful practice can be performed by the woman herself or by other people
who are engaged in the process and also may be performed by other people who
are helping in this process. It is also evident that in various states and territories, the
laws regarding abortion are not at all similar. In the recent context, in Western
Australia, it is reported that the process is unlawful if it is not justified by the health
care providers (5). Therefore, it can be stated that, in case of Jasmine, the laws
regarding the abortion can be applied as she decided to consume contraceptive pills
to terminate the child and as per the laws of the Australian Government it is not all
lawful action as she was planning to consume noxious things in order to terminate
the pregnancy. In case of the abortion laws of New South Wales, it can be stated
that the termination of pregnancy is a crime for both the patients and the doctors.
The abortion is a legal process under the circumstances that puts the patient’s health
at risk.
In South Australia, abortion is considered to be a legal practice only if two
doctors believe that it is required for the maintenance of good health condition of the
woman (5). Considering Jasmine’s age, Australia has no specific law for abortion of
adolescents under 18 years of age. However, it depends on the medical professional
or the abortionist to discuss or refuse, refer or assist the termination based on their
personal or religious beliefs without the any discrimination.

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Part C
In case, Jasmine is from a minority community such as non- English speaking
family along with traditional values and beliefs, then the health care professional
must handle the case of Jasmine differently. According to the Nursing Codes of
Ethics by NMBA, it is reported that the health care professional must be valued as
per the background of the people. In this case, Jasmine is unable to understand
English and therefore, the health care professionals must focus on this issue for the
patient or they can use an interpreter (3). Moreover, the medical professionals must
consider the values and beliefs of the patient. Therefore, patients belonging from
different cultural values and beliefs, the health workers must try to reduce the
disparities during the delivery of care and they must provide special attentions to the
patients in order to make them feel better (5).
In Australia, cultural diverse patients face a lot of behavioural and social
disparities. Medical professionals often face challenges while dealing with these
patients who are from diverse culture with major language difference. Evidences
have supported the fact that sexual health among the young adolescents from NESB
is deficient and it is culturally considered to be inappropriate to discuss sexual issues
particularly for young people. Evidences have shown the prevalence of sexual
trauma among the young women from refugee backgrounds who are considered as
the vulnerable group with 30-60 % prior to their arrival to Australia.
Part D
From the case study, it is reported that Jasmine's boyfriend already had two
different sexual partners and therefore, it may be possible that, the partner of
Jasmine might have sexual disease due to his previous physical relationship. The
diseases can, therefore, be transmitted to Jasmine as well. The most common
health-related adverse effect that may affect Jasmine is the sexually transmitted
diseases (STIs) (7). So, the health care professional must convey the information
related to STI to Jasmine and it will help the person to prevent the occurrence of
sexual diseases. In addition to that, the health care professional must ask the patient
about the use of protective measures during the physical relationship with another

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individual (7). Jasmine should be given 2-3 counselling sessions in order to provide
her knowledge regarding unsafe sexual practices.
In this case, the health care professional must ask Jasmine regarding the
protections measures during the physical activity, and it will help the health care
professional to provide prominent knowledge to the patients.
Conclusion
Hence, it can be concluded that the health care professional should consider
the condition of Jasmine in a very sophisticated manner as she is in her adolescent
period and thus it may be possible that, she may have different perception regarding
this condition. Along with this, due to the age of the patient, the health care
professional must take care of the relevant laws and legislation regarding the
unlawful practice in the various territories of Australia. Furthermore, the health care
professionals must ensure that during the delivery of care, he or she must maintain
all the legal and ethical considerations as well. Along with this, he or she may notify
the patients about the health-related adverse effects that may happen due to the
unsafe sexual activities.

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References
1. Jena AB, Goldman DP, Seabury SA. Incidence of sexually transmitted infections
after human papillomavirus vaccination among adolescent females. JAMA internal
medicine. 2015 Apr 1;175(4):617-23.
2. Mondale WF. Treatment of child abuse: common ground for mental health,
medical, and legal practitioners. JHU Press; 2014 Jun 15.
3. Government of Western Australia. Child and Adolescent Community Health
Community Health Manual. 2019 Aug. Government of Western Australia. Retrieved
from- https://ww2.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/Files/Corporate/general
%20documents/CACH/CHM/CACH.SH.SexualHealthInAdolescence.pdf [Accessed
on 30th August 2019]
4. World Health Organization. Selected practice recommendations for contraceptive
use. World Health Organization Department of Reproductive Health and Research.
2016. Retrieved from-
https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/252267/9789241565400-eng.pdf
[Accessed on 30th August 2019]
5. Parliament of Australia. Abortion Law in Australia. Parliament of Australia. 2019.
Retrieved from-
https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/
Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp9899/99rp01 [Accessed on 30th August 2019]
6. Australian Human Right Commission. The rights and needs of young parents and
their children. 2017. Retrieved from-
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/AHRC_CRR_2017_Summary.pdf
[Accessed on 30th August 2019]
7. Daly J, Speedy S, Jackson D. Contexts of nursing: An introduction. Elsevier
Health Sciences; 2017 May 25.

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