University Nursing Assignment: Ethical Issues in Palliative Care

This assignment is an ethical discussion on palliative care, focusing on advanced care planning and patient autonomy. It examines the ethical dilemmas faced by healthcare professionals regarding end-of-life decisions, including the balance between life-sustaining treatments and patient preferences. The essay analyzes the importance of advanced care planning, the legal frameworks in place (specifically in Victoria, Australia), and the benefits of involving patients and families in the decision-making process. It highlights the challenges of ensuring patient preferences are respected and the need for effective communication within the healthcare team, referencing relevant research on the topic. The conclusion emphasizes the significance of advanced care planning in avoiding ethical conflicts and ensuring patient dignity and self-determination, supported by the existing regulatory legislation.

UNIVERSITY:
NAME :
STUDENT ID:
Course Code: HLT51612
Course Title: Diploma of Nursing
Unit Code: HLTEN511B
Unit Name: Provide nursing care for clients requiring palliative care.
Item: Assignment 1- ethical discussion 500 word written assessment

Assignment 1
Introduction
Advanced care planning is an ongoing process which involves process of patients and
their families under the primary health care’s which shows reflection of values, goals, values
and beliefs which shapes the current and future practice. Advanced medical planning is
crucial in ensuring that medical care is planned and decision regarding patient health access is
determined. Evidential research has indicated that end of life treatment preferences in
palliative care centres are often overlooked and at times not available by those providing
health care provision for the terminally ill patients, (Brinkman et al., 2014). Ethical issues
surrounding the professional obligation among the health care field involves ethical issues
such as patient autonomy, which gives the patient the right to accept or refuse treatment
offered, (Heyland et al., 2013). In this case ethical dilemma which may arise involve, offering
life sustaining approaches like resuscitation and offering assisted dying options, visavis
patient preference. Classical ethical dilemma in this case shows the challenge which a patient
can state that they want to die in peace while the health care team can offer life sustaining
approach to sustain life and the right to live. However currently, many physician and health
care practitioners do not raise such issues for discussion with the patient and often caught
being unaware of patient preference. With these view, often many patients and health
practitioners find themselves in the dilemma of providing care and end of life termination of
the patients.
Analysis of Advanced Care Planning
Advanced care planning for the elderly is a process which entails critical reflection,
discussion and effective communication which enhances the patient ability and decisions
making process when they are not able to make proper decision making at ailing time,
(Mullick et al., 2013). Thus it is with this essence that advanced care planning involves the
fundamental principles of self determination, dignity and minimizing of suffering to the
patients. Terminal care patients are at the best opportune chance to benefit to these processes,
when involved accordingly. Persons can always opt for this care and choose to end and
terminate their life when they don’t accept certain choice of treatment and may need peace of
mind.
Studies on advanced care process have been advanced and studied in various settings
with different sets of population. These studies have shown that there is an impact on the
quality of life in meeting the patient preference, however there is need for complex
interventions which are of assistance to these care, (Parker & Clifton, 2016).
Legislations with regard to advanced care planning in Victoria have shown that the

Assignment 1
government is remaining committed to documenting treatment preferences among the
patients. This has seen passage of bills such as The Guardian Administration, Act of 1986,
Powers of Attorney Act of 2014, Human rights and responsibilities Act of 2006, and all these
are geared towards advancing legal framework for advance care planning.
Thus critical conversations approaches are not made available to the ailing elderly.
Advanced care planning are crucial and beneficial in ensuring health care preference of
terminal ill patients are taken care off when they are too unwell to communicate their care
preference. As supported by research, families which have done advanced care planning
experience minimal anxiety and stress when they are faced with important health care
decisions in the course of care.
Conclusion
Hence with this view, advanced care planning is taking root and the need for proper
dialogue which is engaging is paramount. Failure of incorporating advanced care often leads
to ethical dilemmas of autonomy and respect t the patient. There is need for involving
patients and the health care team in ensuring success of this approach. With the aid of
relevant regulatory legislation in support of this practice in Australia, it ensures that patient
preference is adhered to.
References
Brinkman-Stoppelenburg, A., Rietjens, J. A., & van der Heide, A. (2014). The effects of
advance care planning on end-of-life care: a systematic review. Palliative medicine,
28(8), 1000-1025.
Heyland, D. K., Barwich, D., Pichora, D., Dodek, P., Lamontagne, F., You, J. J., ... &
ACCEPT (Advance Care Planning Evaluation in Elderly Patients) Study Team. (2013).
Failure to engage hospitalized elderly patients and their families in advance care
planning. JAMA internal medicine, 173(9), 778-787.
Mullick, A., Martin, J., & Sallnow, L. (2013). Advance care planning. Bmj, 347(7930), 28-
32.
Parker, D., & Clifton, K. (2016). Knowledge into Practice: Improving advance care planning
and palliative care for older people in Australia. International Journal of Evidence-
Based Healthcare, 14(4), 203.