Moral Dilemmas in Nursing Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Moral Dilemmas in Nursing - Coursework Example The dilemma assumes that the chooser will be guided by societal norms, codes, laws or religious teachings to make the choice ethically impossible. Ethical dilemmas are usually unpredictable, unforeseen and multidimensional which requires extraordinary measures. Medics usually face ethical dilemmas, for instance saving either a mother or unborn child in a delivery room.For nurses to be ethical, they must be just, autonomous, beneficent, veracious and have respect for other people's personalities and characters. Need, care and safety of the patients must always top the nurses’ priority list. The qualities of justice and fairness must be cultivated at all times and evil, or harm infliction must never cross a nurse’s mind. Health workers must always respect the patients’ decision since they have autonomy to make such decisions. However, many times, this becomes extremely difficult especially when a patient’s beliefs and values conflicts with the nurses’ , the latter has to be competent to solve the predicament. For instance, a patient may refuse to undergo a life-saving procedure or medication that the nurse sees necessary, a nurse withholding treatment on professional grounds may go against beneficence and disregard to a patient’s wishes. Violation of autonomy occurs in cases such as preventive suicide, maintenance of professional integrity and protection of third parties. Nurses at times violate patients’ privacy and confidentiality.