NURS 6521 Week 2 Assignment - Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs

Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs A critical role of the healthcare provider is to seek the best for their patient. As an advanced practice nurse, learning the ethical and legal implications of prescribing medications in your state is crucial. A study by Kuo, Phillips, Graham, and Hickner (2008) reported that 70 percent of errors were medication errors. In this scenario, an 18-month-old boy is admitted to the hospital for failing to thrive and having lost six pounds. He has an extreme blockage in the GI system with an impaction. He is in a great deal of pain and screaming. The parents are adamant about not wanting treatments due to their religious beliefs. They have stated that they wish the boy's grandfather, an elder in the church, to pray over and heal him. Ethical and legal implications for all stakeholders. The provider has been placed in an ethical and legal tough spot due to the parents not wanting to treat the child due to their religious beliefs. These subjective beliefs may influence patients' adherence to medical regimes. One of the challenges for health professionals is considering these beliefs and working with them to get the patients the care they need (Shahin et al., 2019). It is up to the prescriber to make sure they prescribe the correct medication at the right amount, the valid route, the proper patient, and the current timing. Minors in Minnesota require parental consent for medical treatment, and failing to permit necessary treatment for the child's best interest is considered neglect (Minnesota Department of Human Services, n.d.). Strategies to address Disclosure and nondisclosure. When a patient is part of an error process in the hospital or has an adverse event, the Joint Commission has required that these events be reported (PSNet, 2019). Disclosure of an error incorporates that an error occurred, acknowledges responsibility, and tenders an appropriate apology. 3 Nondisclosure of the medical error reduces trust in the provider and increases the risk of the family seeking legal advice (Mazor et al., 2006). Providers also have a moral and ethical obligation to disclose errors. Because common mistakes are to be expected, providers are expected to work with the system to help reduce system flaws that would promote errors (Rosner, 2000). Two strategies as an APN would use to guide decision-making. Ethics, morals, and professional codes of conduct govern healthcare professionals. According to the Association of Nurse Practitioners (2023), the nurse practitioner is a patient advocate charged with honesty and integrity. Nurse practitioners are empowered to provide person-centered, high-quality care through practice, advocacy, and leadership. Nurse practitioners are advocates by continuing to learn and keeping up to date with the most up-to- date evidence on prescribing practices, as knowledge is power (Skoglund et al., 2007). Process of writing prescriptions. In this scenario, a comprehensive history must be taken along with his background. A complete medication reconciliation would be helpful to make sure that the patient is not currently on any medication. Review any diagnostic testing such as laboratory, ultrasounds, or other radiology tests before proceeding with any medication therapy. I would also review any allergies before proceeding with writing any prescriptions. Medication errors significantly cause mortality and injure at least 1.5 million Americans (Rosenthal & Burchum, 2018). Many organizations have been working on measures to reduce mistakes. Using technology to replace handwritten prescriptions has significantly reduced medication errors by 50 percent (Rosenthal & Burchum, 2018). Also, incorporating medication reconciliation has decreased medication errors by 70 percent (Rosenthal & Burchum, 2018).