Assignment #1 Ethical Case Study 20%
Assignment
You are expected to submit a professionally completed assignment in APA 7th. The paper is to be 4 pages, plus references and a cover sheet. Do not include numbered lists, bullet points or point form in this professionally written descriptive paper.
What you need to to:
Choose one of the three ethical case studies provided for this assignment and work through the case study. Be sure to address the following questions/elements in your paper.
Your paper needs to have an introduction, discussion, and conclusion section in a professionally composed paper of your own creation. Proper citations (APA) need to be throughout the paper and match the reference list as per APA and academic integrity guidelines. Please see the Rubric and required elements attached after the case studies in this document.
What is the main ethical issue that is presented in the scenario? Is it a dilemma and why?
What are the ethical principles that might be involved and why? What ethical theory best applies to the situation and why?
Explain which CNO value(s) and commitments is/are involved in this case study and why?
Explain which CNA value(s) is/are involved in this case study and why?
Is there any legislation (law) that exists related to the chosen scenario that can aid in the decision making regarding this case? If so, outline the legislation and how it is applied. The law may have limitations or exemptions to discuss. You will need to research this element independently.
Using either the Nursing Process as a framework (as outlined in the CNO Ethics Practice Standard) or the Decision-Making Process (listed on p. 93, Potter, Perry (2017) Box 7-4 examine the ethical situation described. Other relevant steps identified in the literature may supplement your analysis of the ethical issue.
Where possible support your course of action with appropriate references/resources.
Decide on the best course of action based on your analysis and research and describe it. How would you carry out the implementation of the plan? How would the success of the plan be evaluated?
Provide an individual reflective summary (LEARN), including how you felt throughout the process? Was your value system questioned or tested as you worked through the process? Did you feel comfortable with the proposed solution to the case study? How would you approach this situation in the future? (When answering this question ONLY, you may do so using the first-person ex. I felt…).
Case Study 1:
You are a newly registered RPN with the College of Nurses of Ontario. Your first nursing job is working at an HIV clinic. As part of your duties, you are registering new clients and doing baseline assessments and data collection.
Janine is your first client who is HIV positive, and you are shocked to realize she was recently, about 3 months ago, dating your best friend whom you have known for years. Your best friend had confided that he and Janine had had a sexual relationship at the time, and he was upset with the breakup as he really had started to care for Janine.
You are certain your friend was not and is not aware Janine has HIV. You know the “window” period is about 6 months from the time of contracting HIV to possibly testing positive and you are worried about your friend, while you are trying to take care of Janine’s admission.
Case Study 2:
Mr. Annet is admitted to the Emergency department in acute respiratory distress. He is 89 and has been cared for at home by his daughter, Sonja, for several years. Sonja is his substitute decision maker since Mr. Annet has advanced Alzheimer’s disease. Mr. Annet is severely dehydrated with many sores and bruises on his body and his condition becomes grave within an hour of admission, despite oxygen, IV, and bronchodilating medication. On chest x-ray, it is learned Mr. Annet has pneumonia, 2 fractured ribs and a fractured left clavicle.
Sonja is upset and screams at the nurses, blaming them and the doctor for not doing everything possible. She threatens the team with a lawsuit if they do not put her father on a ventilator and resuscitate him if he deteriorates further.
The charge nurse believes Mr. Annet has been abused, and possibly assaulted and wants to call the police, not only to report Sonja but to control her outbursts.
The health care team opposes the charge nurse’s plan, and the doctor says, “Who do you think you are; you will get us all sued”.
Case Study 3:
Anita Anatenobe is a 24-year-old woman who was in a motor vehicle accident several months ago and has been in a coma ever since. The doctor believes she is in a vegetative state and will not regain consciousness. She has been moved to the long-term care unit for total care which includes regular feedings through the gastrostomy tube.
Anita’s parents never wanted the feeding tube to put in, but it was done when they had to be out of town, and they learned about it when they came back. They know Anita would not want to live like this and constantly request the tube be removed, so Anita can ‘slip away’. The hospital policy does not allow for feeding tube removal once it has been started.
The family has learned from a nurse (who sides with the family) that the tubes are sometimes replaced when they leak or fall out. Now they are asking for the tube not to be replaced if that happens. The rest of the health care team is refusing the request; and the doctor, who would have to write the order, concurs. Anita will be fed. The nurse is reprimanded for suggesting to the family that the tube could stay out.
Assignment # 1 Ethical Case Study Rubric 20%
Name: _______________________________________________
Category
Required elements
Assessment/mark
Mark
Introduction
Ethical issue, analysis.
Principles and theory application.
(5) Clearly stated and appropriately focused. Demonstrates relevant theory and principles and their application to the case study. Well-articulated explanations.
(4) Satisfactorily stated but focus could have been more refined. Some gaps or missing elements in the application of relevant theory and principles.
(3) Several gaps in connecting the issues to principles, and theories. A reasonable attempt.
(1.5) Lacks clarity in connections and applications. Many gaps in connecting the issues to principles and theories.
No connections found; incomplete.
Discussion
Analysis and application of professional values and commitments in relation to case study.
Legal issues well outlined, analyzed, applied.
Application of ethical decision making.
(5) Information is very organized with well-constructed paragraphs. Analysis and application are evident and clearly explained.
(4) Information is organized with well-constructed paragraphs. Analysis and application are explained with some areas of less clear connections.
(3). Information is organized but paragraphs are less well-constructed. Analysis and application are attempted with gaps in connections.
(1.5). Information is somewhat organized; analysis and application are attempted but not fully clear.
(0). The information is disorganized; lacks application and analysis. Incomplete.
Conclusion/
Summary
Concludes with reflection assessment of the process; discussion of value system, new learning insight, and application.
(5) Concludes with a maturely written personal summary of responses to the ethical problem and process. Reflective elements of LEARN evident. Insight and application, new learning evident.
(4). Concludes with a personal summary in some detail with some reflective elements of LEARN described. Insight and application are not fully clear.
(3). Conclusion is factual and explains the process, but reflective elements are missing and /or not fully explained.
(1.5). Conclusion is factual but there are no reflective elements or evidence of new learning and insight.
No reflective elements or discussion. Incomplete.
Research, APA format, Spelling and Grammar
Required elements: Peer-reviewed journal sources, Citations matching references. APA format, Correct Spelling and
Grammar.
(5) One grammatical, spelling or punctuation error; or one APA error; Citations match references. Proper form and format. Minimum of 3 professional journal
sources cited.
(4) 2-4 grammatical, spelling, punctuation errors; APA errors. Minimum of 3 professional journal
sources cited.
(3) 5-9 grammatical, spelling, punctuation errors; APA errors. 2 professional journal sources cited.
(1.5) 10 or more grammatical, spelling, punctuation errors; APA errors. 1 professional journal source cited.
No evidence of attempting to follow APA; incomplete. Citations do not match the reference list. No professional journal sources cited.
TOTAL
/20
Deductions for late: ____________
1