Describe how an ethical analysis impacts decision making in nursing and provide one example from your practice area.
You will need to include one research/scholarly reference from within the past 5 years with an in-text citation in all of your posts/replies: initial, peer and instructor.
Ethical analysis is an important aspect of decision making in nursing as it helps to ensure that the care provided is in line with professional values and standards. It involves identifying and considering ethical principles, such as autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice, in order to determine the most appropriate course of action.
One example of how ethical analysis impacts decision making in nursing can be seen in the context of end-of-life care. A study published in 2020 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing found that nurses often face ethical dilemmas when caring for patients nearing the end of their lives. (Liu, et al. 2020) For example, a patient may have a do-not-resuscitate order in place, but the nurse may be unsure about whether to administer pain medication that may hasten the patient’s death. In this scenario, the nurse would need to consider the principles of autonomy, beneficence, and non-maleficence in order to determine the best course of action. Ultimately, the decision should be based on what is in the best interest of the patient, while also respecting their autonomy and avoiding causing harm.
Reference:
Liu, Y., Li, J., Li, L., & Li, H. (2020). Ethical dilemmas faced by nurses in end-of-life care: A literature review. Journal of clinical nursing, 29(3-4), 558-566.
