ETHICS AND THE DNP-PREPARED NURSE

Sample Solution

   

Two Significant Ethical Issues Relevant to the DNP-Prepared Nurse

1. Resource Allocation

DNP-prepared nurses often play a role in resource allocation decisions, such as determining which patients receive priority access to scarce resources such as ICU beds or organ transplants. This can be a very challenging ethical task, as nurses must balance the needs of individual patients with the needs of the larger population.

For example, a DNP-prepared nurse may need to decide which of two patients with end-stage renal disease should receive the next available kidney transplant. Both patients are equally deserving, but only one transplant is available. The nurse must consider a variety of factors in making this decision, such as the patients' medical conditions, their life expectancy, and their quality of life.

Full Answer Section

      Comparison to Practice: I have not yet encountered this specific ethical challenge in my nursing practice, as I am not currently working in a setting where resource allocation decisions are made. However, I can imagine that this would be a very difficult and stressful decision to make.

2. End-of-Life Care

DNP-prepared nurses often play a role in end-of-life care, which can raise a number of ethical challenges. For example, nurses may need to help patients and their families make decisions about life-sustaining treatment, such as whether or not to intubate a patient with respiratory failure or to withhold chemotherapy from a patient with terminal cancer. Nurses may also need to deal with ethical dilemmas related to pain management and euthanasia. For example, a nurse may need to decide how much pain medication to give a patient who is dying, or whether or not to respect a patient's request for assisted suicide. Comparison to Practice: I have encountered some ethical challenges related to end-of-life care in my nursing practice. For example, I have had patients who have refused life-sustaining treatment, even though I believed that it was in their best interest. I have also had patients who have requested assisted suicide, which is not legal in the state where I practice. In these cases, I have tried to be respectful of my patients' wishes, even when I have disagreed with them. I have also tried to provide my patients with all of the information they need to make informed decisions about their care. New Ethical Challenges Once I obtain my doctoral degree, I may face new ethical challenges, such as:

• Research ethics: DNP-prepared nurses often conduct research, which raises a number of ethical challenges, such as informed consent, confidentiality, and conflict of interest.
• Leadership ethics: DNP-prepared nurses often take on leadership roles, which raises ethical challenges such as decision-making, accountability, and transparency.
• Social justice ethics: DNP-prepared nurses often work to address social justice issues, such as healthcare disparities and access to care. This work can raise ethical challenges such as advocacy, neutrality, and allocation of resources.

Conclusion Ethical challenges are a common part of nursing practice, and DNP-prepared nurses are often involved in making difficult ethical decisions. It is important for DNP-prepared nurses to be aware of the ethical challenges they may face and to be prepared to address them in a responsible and ethical manner. Example Here is an example of how a DNP-prepared nurse might address an ethical challenge related to resource allocation: A DNP-prepared nurse is working in the ICU and is caring for two patients with end-stage renal disease. Both patients are equally deserving of a kidney transplant, but only one transplant is available. The nurse must decide which patient should receive the transplant. The nurse considers a variety of factors in making this decision, including the patients' medical conditions, their life expectancy, and their quality of life. The nurse also speaks with the patients and their families to learn more about their preferences. In the end, the nurse decides to give the transplant to the patient who has the best prognosis and who is most likely to benefit from the transplant. The nurse explains this decision to the other patient and family and offers them support. This is just one example of how a DNP-prepared nurse might address an ethical challenge related to resource allocation. There are many other ways to approach this situation, and the best approach will vary depending on the specific circumstances.