Ethics and Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethics and Law - Essay Example It shall consider ethical and legal support for this nurse’s actions, reflecting on the possible future actions which can also be applied. Body Gibbs Reflective Cycle Description A 70-year old patient was admitted to the casualty department after a road traffic accident. He sustained severe injuries which required blood transfusion, but has refused to give his consent to such treatment due to his religious beliefs. He is fully aware that his life is at risk and he needs the blood transfusion if he were to survive. He drifted in and out of consciousness several times during his confinement. His family arrived and agreed that he needs the blood transfusion; however, he still refused such intervention. The nurses have tried to convince him, but he still could not be refused. Another nurse commented to the patient’s relatives that he did not see why they were making a big fuss about his refusal when the patient was old and would probably not have much longer to live anyway. Feelings I felt helpless in this case because I wanted very much to assist the patient in recovering and I felt helpless about our inability to perform a simple and routine procedure which would make a significant impact on the patient’s outcomes. ... Evaluation I believe that we made the right decision about respecting the patient’s autonomy and not administering the blood transfusion. I believe that we also made the right decision in terms of not allowing the patient’s relatives to overall the patient’s personal choice. However, what was bad about the experience was the nurse making a comment about the family not needing to make a fuss about the patient’s decision because the patient was old and would not have much longer to live anyway. Analysis First and foremost, informed consent is one of the most important elements of the health care practice. The Nursing and Midwifery Code (NMC, 2004, p. 5) specifies that a nurse must first obtain the informed consent of the patient before any treatment of intervention is administered. By informed consent, the need to properly inform the patient about his condition is important and the nurse must reveal to the patient all the necessary information, risks, implic ations, and processes involved in the intervention or procedure. The nurse is also required to respect the patient’s needs and wishes, especially the wishes of those who refuse or who are unable to receive data about their condition (NMC, 2004, p. 5). The information transmitted must also be accurate and truthful and presented in a manner which the patient can fully understand. The patient’s autonomy must be respected, even if their refusal for treatment would result in their death or even when their decisions would seem unreasonable or even illogical (NMC, 2004, p. 6). In gaining an informed consent, the nurse must ensure that such consent is given by a legally competent individual, is given voluntarily, and such consent is fully informed. All