1. Describe a fictional ethical dilemma or a dilemma you have encountered in
your nursing practice.
a. During the COVID-19 pandemic nurses and doctors were trying to find a way
to care for patients diagnosed with this virus which was spreading rapidly
across the continent. I worked in a smaller emergency room and the
dilemmas that we faced were how to provide the best care for these
patients as they were all coming in sick but leaving the hospital in a body bag
instead of going home to their families. Conversations were had with
patients that if they were put on to a ventilator, they might not be able to be
weaned off because this virus was attacking the lungs primarily. At one-point
ventilators were in short supply and how would a provider figure out who
gets a ventilator and who does not? Thankfully, no provider I worked with
had to make this decision.
2. Identify the key stakeholders.
a. The patient’s autonomy is limited
b. Emotional distress by the patient’s family members
c. Medical team members are distressed
d. Legal authorities intervening
3. Describe how the situation impacts the key stakeholders.
a. Patients have the right to make medical decisions and during this time
they felt pressured to make one.
b. The only way families were able to see their family members was via video
chat. And there were a limited number of these machines to be used so
not everyone was able to see their family members.
c. For some, this was the last time they saw their hospitalized family as the
next call to them was that the patient passed away.
d. Medical team members were in moral distress. They had to balance
the practice of beneficence while trying to protect patient autonomy.
e. The healthcare systems had to ensure their legal teams were abreast of all
the information surrounding this virus and how it was being treated as the
CDC protocols were changing hourly some days. This was to protect
healthcare workers from lawsuits when patient's outcomes are not what
they or their families wanted.
your nursing practice.
a. During the COVID-19 pandemic nurses and doctors were trying to find a way
to care for patients diagnosed with this virus which was spreading rapidly
across the continent. I worked in a smaller emergency room and the
dilemmas that we faced were how to provide the best care for these
patients as they were all coming in sick but leaving the hospital in a body bag
instead of going home to their families. Conversations were had with
patients that if they were put on to a ventilator, they might not be able to be
weaned off because this virus was attacking the lungs primarily. At one-point
ventilators were in short supply and how would a provider figure out who
gets a ventilator and who does not? Thankfully, no provider I worked with
had to make this decision.
2. Identify the key stakeholders.
a. The patient’s autonomy is limited
b. Emotional distress by the patient’s family members
c. Medical team members are distressed
d. Legal authorities intervening
3. Describe how the situation impacts the key stakeholders.
a. Patients have the right to make medical decisions and during this time
they felt pressured to make one.
b. The only way families were able to see their family members was via video
chat. And there were a limited number of these machines to be used so
not everyone was able to see their family members.
c. For some, this was the last time they saw their hospitalized family as the
next call to them was that the patient passed away.
d. Medical team members were in moral distress. They had to balance
the practice of beneficence while trying to protect patient autonomy.
e. The healthcare systems had to ensure their legal teams were abreast of all
the information surrounding this virus and how it was being treated as the
CDC protocols were changing hourly some days. This was to protect
healthcare workers from lawsuits when patient's outcomes are not what
they or their families wanted.
