Family Nurse Practitioner Case Study: Ethical Dilemma & Motorbike Race

This case study examines the ethical considerations for a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) encountering a 17-year-old adolescent planning to participate in an illegal and dangerous motorbike race. The FNP faces the dilemma of balancing patient confidentiality with the need to protect the adolescent from potential harm. The solution proposed involves convincing the boy of the risks, informing his parents to ensure their involvement in his safety, and notifying the police to prevent the race. The FNP must navigate the ethical complexities of disclosing information about the adolescent's plans, considering the boy's age and the parents' role in his well-being, all while upholding ethical standards and prioritizing the adolescent's safety. The case highlights the importance of balancing patient autonomy with the responsibility to protect vulnerable individuals from harm, especially in situations involving life-threatening risks and the need to involve parents or guardians when necessary.

Running head: FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER 1
Family nurse practitioner
Name
Institution

FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER 2
Case 1: response
As a medical care provider, in the case of the 17-year-old adolescent who has made up
his mind to participate in the motorbike competition in the street, one of the solution I would
provide in the case is to convince the boy on some of the disadvantages and risks associated with
the motorbike race more to the unqualified participant like him. Based on his age, convincing
him might be difficult but I will insist on stating risk factors and some of the health outcome
which might befall him he participates in such competition. This idea will discourage him and
impose fear on him hence might change his mind. There are many ways to discourage him and
impose fear in him like showing some of the motorbikes accidents, death cases and people who
have been completely incapacitated due to the motorbike accidents more so from the local
competition.
Secondly, based on the ethical practices and standard, disclosing ones information is
prohibited since it interferes with their privacy but to the case of the 17 years old boy, he is still
under the care of his parents hence any health issue or complication or life-threatening action
should be communicated to parents or guardians as they are responsible for the well being of
their kids (Grace, 2017). Therefore, I will call his parents informing them about the motorbike
competition which their boy is likely to participate so they can take the necessary action to stop
him. The reason for informing his parent is for them to decide whether the boy will participate
or not in the competition. Therefore, in case of an emergency, they will be responsible for the
outcome.

FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER 3
I will also inform the police on such competition suggesting that they should not stop the
race but only allow the participants who are over 18 years since they are considered adults
lawfully and are responsible for their actions rather than involving junior boys to risk their lives
on such competition. By restricting the under 18 years participants by the police, I will save the
boy from all the life threatening risks in participating in the motorbike race which he is obsessed
in taking part.
Telling the police and informing the boy’s parent will not breach of confidentiality since
the boy is still under the care of his parents and under age to make such life threatening decision
of taking part in motor bike competition (Butts & Rich, 2019). To add, since our main aim as
nurses is to save lives, reporting the matter will save the boy from the risk involved in the
competition; therefore the issue of confidentiality will not be breached since it only applies to
over age people.

FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER 4
References
Butts, J. B., & Rich, K. L. (2019). Nursing ethics. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Grace, P. J. (Ed.). (2017). Nursing ethics and professional responsibility in advanced practice.
Jones & Bartlett Learning.