Professional, Ethical And Legal Issues Of Nursing Mn 111d65

Professional, ethical and legal issues of nursing. Module 9

Ethical Issues    

Principles Respect for autonomy Non-maleficence Beneficence Justice Beauchamp & Childress (2001)

Ethical Issues Rules   

Truth telling Confidentiality Privacy Beauchamp & Childress (2001)

Legal Issues 

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Human Rights Act 1998 Data Protection Act 1998 Freedom of Information Act 2000 The Health & Safety Act 1974 Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Human Rights Act 1998 

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Right to life Right not to be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment Right to liberty and security Right to respect for private and family life

Professional Issues You are personally able for your practice. In caring for patients or clients, you must;  Respect the patient or client as an individual  Obtain consent before you give any treatment or care  Protect confidential information  Cooperate with others in the team  Maintain your professional knowledge and competence  Be trustworthy  Act to identify and minimise risk to patients and clients. Code of Conduct (NMC, 2004)

ABILITY

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“ a formal obligation to disclose, what you have done, why you did it and what the results of your action were” (Lewis & Batey 1982)

The nurse is able to: 

The patient (and family)

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civil law

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The public

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criminal law

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The employer

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disciplinary process

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NMC

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remove from

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And Oneself

Informed Consent 

Informed consent of a competent adult must be obtained before any intervention

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Groups who may be unable to give informed consent:

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Infants Some mentally ill patients Some elderly patients Unconscious Critically ill Neurological deficits

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How do we obtain informed consent in the following situation?

A patient is itted to the Accident and Emergency Department. He is unconscious and requires an emergency operation. How will consent for this intervention be obtained?

Confidentiality Patients have an absolute right to confidentiality. Exceptions:  Patient Consent  Public Interest  Statutory Law

How do the principles of confidentiality apply in this situation? A lorry driver is itted to your ward following an epileptic fit. He has been told by the Doctor that he cannot drive and should inform the DVLA and his employers. The patient is worried about loosing his job and has confided in you that as he is now well controlled on his medication he is not going to inform anybody and intends to go back to work.

RCN 2003 Definition of Nursing States: Nurses should empower patients at ward level and enable them to make choices. The advocacy role is about partnership, negotiation and power sharing.

Advocacy „A person who s or speaks in favour of another‟

„A person who pleads for another‟ In nursing it is concerned with promoting the well being and interests of patients

QUESTION

Should a nurse caring for a diabetic the patient‟s right to eat or drink whatever they like regardless of the consequences? Or should the nurse endeavour to ensure that patients comply with dietary restriction?