Ethical Dilemma in End-of-Life Care – The Case of Mr. Smith

Ethical Dilemma in End-of-Life Care – The Case of Mr. Smith

In this instance, Mr. Smith, a patient with a fatal condition, wishes to end his life because of his pain. Nurse Jane, who works in a city hospital, must handle this situation. The patient wishes to receive the most medical treatment possible, according to his advanced directives, but his current condition is far worse. Jane is faced with a moral conundrum: should she carry out the treatment plan that he has now rejected, or should she respect his vocal request for euthanasia, disobeying his legal instructions?

The key stakeholders include 1) Mr. Smith (the patient), who expresses a desire to die early because of severe pain, which contradicts the previously known desire of the patient to take on more aggressive treatment; 2) nurse Jane (healthcare provider), responsible for implementing the care plan and dealing with the ethical issue of whether to respect the patient’s current preferences or to follow the set protocols; 3) Mr. Smith’s family, involved in the patient’s care, which might lead to their biases on the ongoing treatment process; and 4) the healthcare team (doctors and ethicists). The healthcare team contributed opinions on medical matters and ethical standpoints, which were essential in solving the legal and ethical aspects of the case.

This situation impacts these key stakeholders differently; it undercuts Mr. Smith’s decision-making ability, human value, and density because his desires might not be attended to in the short term, which might increase his suffering and reduce the quality of his life. General ethical and legal issues will play a significant role when Nurse Jane is facing such a request by Mr. Smith (Olejarczyk & Young, 2024). She experiences moral stress when trying to navigate her job demands alongside the suffering of Mr. Smith as a patient. The dilemma raises the question of whether it is moral to adhere to medical guidelines and practice norms in treating the patient and about their present desires.

Mr. Smith’s family’s feelings are received from the request of Mr. Smith, and the ethical dilemma that followed. Stress and guilt about decision-making may also occur in conflicts regarding the right decision to make or to take. It influences them emotionally and, therefore, their relationship with Mr. Smith. Doctors, ethicists, and the rest of the associated healthcare team have the responsibility of handling the ethical and legal issues inherent in such a case (Haddad & Geiger, 2023). They are essential since they offer legal recommendations on Mr. Smith’s care and supervision, which challenges their professionalism and entails legal decision-making.

References

Haddad, L. M., & Geiger, R. A. (2023). Nursing ethical considerations. National Library of Medicine; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526054/

Olejarczyk, J., & Young, M. (2024, May 6). Patient rights and ethics. National Library of Medicine; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538279/

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Ethical Dilemma in End-of-Life Care

Describe a fictional ethical dilemma or a dilemma you have encountered in your nursing practice.
Identify the key stakeholders.
Describe how the situation impacts the key stakeholders.