Unethical Scenarios: Approaches

ANSWER
Hypothetical scenario: A hospital nurse executive finds that a physician has been delivering experimental drugs to patients without their permission. The doctor defends the move by claiming that the medicine has shown promising results in prior studies and that gaining permission would have taken too long, jeopardizing the patient’s health. The nurse executive is caught between honouring the physician’s autonomy and obligation to give the best care to patients and supporting the ethical values of informed consent and patient autonomy. Unethical Scenarios: Approaches

Peer Scenario 1: A family nurse practitioner in a community health facility accuses a colleague of tampering with patient records to conceal treatment errors. The colleague is a seasoned nurse practitioner who has worked with the facility for many years and has a strong reputation among patients and employees. The nurse practitioner is concerned about possible patient injury and the effect on the centre’s reputation, but she is reluctant to report the colleague and risks losing their professional relationship.

In this case, the nurse practitioner should put patient safety and well-being before personal connections with coworkers. According to the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics, nurses are responsible for reporting unethical or unlawful behaviours that endanger patient safety and well-being (ANA, 2021). The nurse practitioner should adhere to the centre’s rules and procedures when reporting suspected unethical activity while maintaining patient confidentiality. Fear of reprisal or harm to one’s professional reputation may hinder resolution. Still, the nurse practitioner might seek assistance from colleagues, management, or professional groups to overcome these difficulties. Unethical Scenarios: Approaches

Peer scenario 2: A nurse educator at a nursing school realizes that some of her students are plagiarizing their homework and tests. The nurse educator worries about the school’s academic integrity and influence on students’ future jobs. Still, she is also aware of the possible implications of exposing plagiarism, such as ruining students’ reputations or impeding their advancement in the program.

In this case, the nurse educator must preserve academic integrity and honesty while giving students opportunities to learn and develop their abilities. The Core Values of the National League for Nursing (NLN) highlight the significance of integrity and honesty in nursing education and urge instructors to promote a culture of trust and responsibility among students (NLN, 2021). The nursing educator may combat plagiarism by clearly articulating the school’s standards and expectations, giving students with resources and help to enhance their writing and research abilities, and employing technological tools to identify and prevent plagiarism. The nurse educator should also follow the school’s reporting procedures for academic misconduct, ensuring that due process is followed and all parties’ rights are honoured. Lack of proof or uncertainty regarding plagiarism impedes resolution. Still, the nursing educator can seek help resolving these concerns from the school’s academic integrity office or professional groups. Unethical Scenarios: Approaches

American Nurses Association is a source of information (2021)—a Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretation Statements. The National League for Nursing may be found at https://www.nursingworld.org/coe-view-only (2021). The fundamental principles. https://www.nln.org/about/core-values

QUESTION
1) Healthcare professionals working in clinical practice, education, research, and administration are often witness to unethical behaviors. For your initial discussion post, develop a hypothetical conflict scenario involving a nurse working in an advanced role (nurse executive, nurse educator, or family nurse practitioner). The created scenario must place the nurse in a situation involving conflict specific to unethical behaviors.

2) To complete this discussion, review the hypothetical scenarios posted by your peers. Choose two peer case scenarios and discuss how the nurse involved in the scenario might approach the conflict described. Use evidence from your readings or from a credible source to support your answer. Be sure to discuss potential ethical concerns, possible barriers to resolution, and any professional or organizational constraints that may be involved.