Life Sustaining Interventions
What is the role of nurses in documenting DNR orders?
Ensuring that DNR orders are documented in a patient’s health care record.
What are some issues related to artificial insemination by donor and in vitro fertilization?
Changing concepts of family and parenthood, treatment of frozen embryos, and exploitation of women.
What is cloning?
The process of creating a cell or an entire organism that is identical in every way to another.
What are some privacy breaches that can occur with health care information technology?
Poor encryption, hacking, lost or stolen devices, and improper disposal of old equipment.
What are some practices for nursing self-care?
Emotional wellness practices, cognitive-behavioral skills, journaling, physical activity, and disconnecting from technology.
What should be considered when deciding to use or withdraw artificial sources of nutrition and hydration?
Benefit versus harm, patient or surrogate wishes, and quality of life.
What is genetic diagnosis?
Performing biopsies on embryos to determine the presence of genetic flaws and gender.
What are some ethical issues related to cloning?
Violation of the right to one’s unique genetic identity, human dignity, and integrity.
What are some guidelines for nurses using social media?
Do not identify patients by name, do not use personal devices to take or post photos, and maintain professional boundaries.
Why is self-awareness important for nurses?
It enables nurses to differentiate personal values from the values of others.
What is the principle of nonmaleficence?
The maxim of "do no harm."
What is genetic engineering?
The ability to alter organisms genetically for various purposes.
What are some ethical concerns with stem cell research?
Obtaining informed consent from donors, combining embryonic stem cells and cloning techniques, and ownership of biologic materials.
What should nurses do to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of patient health information?
Use secure passwords, agency email, confidentiality statements on fax coversheets, and purge private information before discarding devices.
What is the importance of communication in nursing practice related to technology?
Identifying decision makers, advocating for patients, providing a listening presence, and communicating effectively.
What is medical futility?
Situations where interventions are judged to have very little or no medical benefit.
What are some ethical dilemmas associated with genetic screening?
Duty to warn family members versus maintaining patient confidentiality.
What are some issues related to organ and tissue procurement and transplantation?
Resource allocation, definition of death, voluntary informed consent, and potential for coerced consent.
What are some ethical concerns with electronic medical records (EMRs)?
Privacy and confidentiality, streamlined charting, copying and pasting data, and false entries due to clinician fatigue.
What is the role of caring in nursing practice amidst technology?
Explaining interventions, seeing experiences from the patient's perspective, and supporting patient and family choices.
What are some ethical considerations regarding the use of life-sustaining technology?
Quality of life, relief of suffering, and whether the intervention is prolonging living or dying.
What are some ethical concerns with genetic engineering?
Ownership of genetically engineered embryos, insurance access to DNA, and the potential for eugenics.
What are some ethical considerations regarding the definition of death in organ transplantation?
Criteria for determining brain function cessation and the timing of organ procurement.
What are some ethical issues related to social media use by nurses?
Breaches of privacy and confidentiality, lateral violence, failure to report others, and violation of professional boundaries.
What are some strategies for managing stress and promoting emotional wellness in nursing?
Focused breathing exercises, positive thinking, being in nature, meditation, and connecting personally with important people.