Death, Dying and Nursing Ethics

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews the writer's personal philosophy of care and individual ethics in a case scenario of a patient (referred to as Mr. Smith) with advanced Alzheimer's and dementia. The writer discusses how the family often appeared indifferent and unconcerned with their father's condition especially at his untimely demise, which proved difficult for the nursing staff as they cared profoundly for the patient. The writer explores the specific ethical principles involved, including autonomy, justice, beneficence, and nonmaleficence and links the clinical situation to a specific theory of grief, loss and bereavement. The writer suggests alternative actions which could have led to a more satisfying and ethical outcome in the case of Mr. Smith, his family and the nurses concerned.

Outline:
Introduction
My Philosophy of Care in my Nursing Practice
Autonomy, Justice, Beneficence and Nonmaleficence
Related Theory of Grief, Loss, and Bereavement
Suggested Alternative Solutions
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Ethics in healthcare is fundamental in the day-to-day care provided to patients' particularly in nursing and certainly with end of life issues. Essentially, the code of ethics for registered nurses is a declaration of commitment to those we serve, it is a guideline that sets out behaviors expected of us, and it advocates for quality care and serves as a self-reflection tool (Canadian Nurses Association, 1998). The codes of ethics and the standards of care made available by our governing body ensure that the best nursing practices will be provided to our patients (Aiken, 2005). Part of our nursing practice is to assist in life-threatening situations. Coping with death is challenging for nurses since the ability to cope with one's own grief or beliefs highly depends on the relationship of the healthcare provider to the patient, to their families and to their own experiences with death."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Corr, C., Nabe, C., & Corr, D. (1997). Death and Dying, Life and Living. 2nd Ed. Pacific Grove, CA.: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.
• Canadian Nurses Association, (1998). Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses.
• Aiken, T. (2005). Legal, Ethical, and Political Issues in Nursing. 2nd Edition Philadelphia, Davis F.A.
• Casarett, D., Kutner, J., & Abrahm, J. et al. (2001). Life After Death: A Practical Approach to Grief and Bereavement. Annals of Internal Medicine , 134(3): 208 - 215.
• Benoliel, J.Q. (1997). Death, technology, and gender in post-modern American society. In S. Strack (Ed.), Death and the quest for meaning (pp. 31-56). Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson.part 1 of Book Review. Critical Care Nurse , 25(5):72.

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