Author Question: A nurse bases ethical decisions on the effect, or consequences, an act will have and uses the ... (Read 41 times)

chandani · **on:** Jul 22, 2018

A nurse bases ethical decisions on the effect, or consequences, an act will have and uses the following guidelines: the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Which ethical system is the nurse using?

a. Legal
b. Deontology
c. Utilitarianism
d. Ethics of care

Question 2

A patient has been admitted to the hospital with advanced colon cancer and is receiving palliative care at this time. The nurse feels anxious in caring for this patient, but realizes which of the following?

a. The patient needs the nurse's presence and personal connection.
b. Remaining silent would signify a noncar-ing attitude.
c. All people react to loss in the same way.
d. Reminiscing only makes a difficult situa-tion worse.

mochi09 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 22, 2018

Answer to Question 1

C
Utilitarianism guides us to measure the effect, or consequences, that an act will have. The great-est good for the greatest number of people is the guiding principle for action in this system. By comparison, deontology focuses less on consequences and looks to the presence of pure prin-ciples of autonomy, justice, fidelity, beneficence, and nonmaleficence. Ethical issues differ from legal issues. Legal issues are resolved by reference to laws that tend to be concrete and publicly determined. Ethics of care suggest that health care workers resolve ethical dilemmas by paying attention to relationships and stories of the participants and by promoting a fundamental act of caring.

Answer to Question 2

A
Many nurses become anxious when caring for dying patients or people coping with grief and loss. Confidence helps you to understand that even if there is nothing you can do or say to change the situation, the patient needs your compassionate presence and a personal connection. Confidence helps you accept the responsibility to remain present even in difficult situations. By silently sharing a moment of sadness with a patient or family member, you communicate caring and send the message that you respect and accept their feelings in the moment. Do not assume that other people react to loss or grief as you do or that a particular behavior necessarily indicates grief. Encouraging patients to tell stories about their loved one gives them an opportunity to provide information in a natural, unstructured, and meaningful way.