Nursing 2 Assignment: Ethical Principles in Patient Care Decisions

This assignment addresses key concepts in nursing, focusing on healthcare directives such as general and enduring power of attorney, advanced healthcare directives, and guardianship. It explains how each of these terms affects patient care, providing examples of their practical application. The assignment then analyzes a case study involving a patient with advanced bladder cancer, urinary retention, and pain, where the patient's family attempts to make decisions on her behalf. The solution emphasizes the importance of ethical decision-making in this scenario, highlighting the significance of autonomy, justice, nonmaleficence, beneficence, confidentiality, rights, and veracity. It underscores the need for healthcare providers to respect the patient's culture, provide necessary information, and ensure equitable and fair treatment, ultimately aiming for effective health outcomes. The assignment stresses the application of ethical principles to ensure informed consent and patient-centered care.

Nursing 2 Questions

Table of Contents
Contents
3 a) Understanding of the terms.......................................................................................................2
1. General power of attorney.............................................................................................2
2. Enduring power of attorney..........................................................................................2
3. Advanced health care directive.....................................................................................2
4. Guardianship.................................................................................................................2
b) The way each of the below term can affect patient care.............................................................2
1. General power of attorney.............................................................................................2
2. Enduring power of attorney..........................................................................................2
3. Advanced health care directive.....................................................................................3
4. Guardianship.................................................................................................................3
Q 4) Action in the situation provided in case study.........................................................................3
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3 a) Understanding of the terms
1. General power of attorney
General power of attorney may be defined as an organisation or individual, known as
attorney in fact or agent, that has been provided powers in order to act on the behalf of another
person. It provides broad authorisations to the agent and enable them to take legal and medical
decisions or financial decisions.
2. Enduring power of attorney
An enduring power of attorney is referred as legal agreement which allow an individual to
appoint a trusted individual to make property or financial decisions on their behalf.
3. Advanced health care directive
An advanced healthcare directive is a kind of legal document in which an individual
specify what actions must be taken regarding their health if they are not able to take decision for
themselves due to any kind of incapacity or illness. It is also known as personal directive,
medical directive, living will or advance decision.
4. Guardianship
Guardianship can be stated as an import tool use for protecting incapacitated adults who are
not able to care for themselves. Their role is to help the individual with their decisions regarding
healthcare, ranging from regular appointments to other serious surgical procedures as well as end
of life decisions.
b) The way each of the below term can affect patient care
1. General power of attorney
For example - A patient can develop special power of attorney that only enable his spouse
to take medical decisions on his behalf. This impacts effectively on the decision making
regarding the treatment of the patient.
2. Enduring power of attorney
For example - if a person is in very serious condition or suffering from chronic disease,
then by developing an enduring power of attorney, he or she provides right to that trusted
individual to take financial decisions on his or her behalf.
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3. Advanced health care directive
For example - this term can affect the care of patient as if this directive is developed by the
patient, then no other individual will be able to take decisions regarding treatment on his or her
behalf.
4. Guardianship
For example - this impact on care of patient as due to this import toll, no other member
except guardian will be able to take any kind of decisions regarding the patient ranging from
regular appointments to end of the life decisions.
Q 4) Action in the situation provided in case study
In the provided case study, Mrs F was suffering from advanced bladder cancer along with
urinary retention as well as pain score of 6 out of 10. In order to relieve her pain as well as
urinary retention, it is required to insert indwelling catheter. The family of Mrs. F said that there
is no need to talk to her regarding the procedure of insertion of catheter and they can make
decisions on her behalf. However, she tries to ask the care provider about what is happening,
grabbing her lower abdomen as well as crying. In this situation, it is very necessary for the
healthcare provider to take ethical decision by considering the ethical principles involving
principle of autonomy, justice, nonmaleficence, beneficence, confidentiality, rights and veracity.
It is very much important to respect the culture of patient and treat her fairly. Personal
information of the patient must be kept confidential and the health care provider requires to
ensure that no personal information is shared to third party. At the time of providing care to Mrs.
F, the principle of autonomy must be followed as it enables health care provider to respect as
well as support the decision of patient to refuse or accept life-sustaining treatment. In case of
Mrs. F, she has no information about the treatment so, it is important for care provider to make
sure that she receives all the necessary information like complications, risks and benefits of
treatment so that well informed decisions can be taken. Apart from this, use of nonmaleficence
principle will help in accomplishing beneficial health outcomes for the patient by selecting
interventions which because least amount of harm to Mrs. F. The principle of benefits can be
applied in providing pain medication to the patient or by holding the hand of grieving family
member. In addition to this, justice ethical principle enables healthcare provider in case of Mrs. F
to ensure that care is provided on equal and fair basis, regardless of the financial and social status
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of patient. Moreover, telling the truth to Mrs. F and her family members must be important for
care provider by following principle of veracity. Thus, by applying all these principles while
providing care to Mrs. F, health care provider will enable to make ethical decisions regarding the
treatment of patient and ensure attainment of effective health outcomes.
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