Patient Autonomy in Nursing

Patient Autonomy in Nursing

1. Application of Course Knowledge:
   • Describe an ethical dilemma from your nursing practice.
   • Identify the key stakeholders.
   • Describe how the situation impacts the key stakeholders.

Check our essay writing services here

APA

Patient Autonomy in Nursing

Ethical Dilemma
During my nursing practice, I encountered a complex ethical dilemma involving a terminally ill patient diagnosed with advanced metastatic cancer. The patient, who was fully alert and competent, expressed a clear and consistent wish to stop all aggressive life-prolonging treatments such as chemotherapy, dialysis, and repeated hospitalizations. They wished to transition to hospice care, focusing on comfort and quality of life during their remaining time. However, the patient’s immediate family strongly opposed this decision. Motivated by love, hope, and religious beliefs, the family insisted that every possible medical intervention be continued, even though the medical team determined these interventions would not alter the prognosis and could potentially cause more suffering. This created a direct conflict between respecting the patient’s autonomy and responding to the family’s emotional and cultural needs.

Key Stakeholders

• The Patient – Their right to self-determination, dignity, and the ability to make informed decisions about their own body and treatment plan were central to the ethical dilemma.

• The Family – They had a deep emotional investment and strong cultural and/or religious values guiding their preference for continued treatment, which they believed equated to hope and love.

• The Nursing Team – As patient advocates, nurses were responsible for ensuring that the patient’s voice remained central to care planning, while also preserving trust and rapport with the family.

• The Physician and Interdisciplinary Healthcare Team – They carried the responsibility of balancing ethical principles, such as autonomy, beneficence, and nonmaleficence, while adhering to legal and institutional policies.

Impact on Stakeholders

• Patient Impact – If the patient’s wishes were not honored, they faced the possibility of enduring unnecessary suffering, prolonged discomfort, and a loss of personal control during their final stage of life. This could diminish their emotional well-being and erode their trust in the healthcare team.

• Family Impact – The family experienced high levels of emotional stress, fear of loss, and…