Core Nursing Ethics Principles
This principle requires nurses to respect a patient's right to make their own informed decisions.
what is Autonomy
Nurses must protect this under HIPPA to avoid legal penalties.
What is confidentiality?
Balancing client autonomy with safety often creates this "blurred line" in home settings.
What is beneficence vs autonomy or blurred lines in autonomy?
These documents allow clients to specify end of life wishes, legally binding nurses to follow them.
What are advance directives?
A terminally ill client with capacity says "no more fluids or feeding tube". Family screams "you're starving Dad" The nurses strongest defense for honoring the refusal
What is family vs. patient autonomy (or tube-feeding refusal)
Nurses must act to promote good and prevent harm, embodying this ethical duty
What is beneficence
Obtaining this before procedures is a core legal duty.
What is Informed Consent?
Lack of this with clients and families can lead to ethical conflicts.
What is communication?
Nurses must assess this to determine if a client can legally make their own decisions.
What is decision making capacity or competence.
Who decides on withdrawing life-sustaining treatment if the client cannot consent?
What is Legal surrogate/POA or family, advance directives
This principle means "do no harm" and avoid actions that could injure clients.
What is nonmaleficence.
Nurses are legally required to maintain this through ongoing education.
What is a valid nursing license?
Respecting this in a clients home is key to avoiding dignity violations.
What is privacy?
This order legally instructs nurses not to perform CPR in palliative scenerios.
What is a DO Not Resuscitate Order?
Can a patient in palliative care refuse pain medication?
Yes
Patients retain autonomy and can accept or refuse treatment.
Fair distribution of resources and treating all clients equally
What is justice?
Accurate and timely recording of care is this legal obligation to prevent liability.
What is documentation?
This ethical challenge arises when home care nurses face time constraints that compromise care quality.
What is resource allocation or time constraints?
Withholding or withdrawing this is legal if aligned with client directives but ethically complex.
What is a life sustaining treatment or interventions?
You see a colleague act unethically. What should you do?
What is Address or report appropriately.
Keeping promises and maintaining loyalty in nurse-client relationships.
What is fidelity?
In home or palliative settings, nurses must report this if suspected.
What is abuse?
Home Care nurses may encounter this dilemma when family desires conflict with clients self determination.
What is family vs patient conflict or conflicting desires?
Nurses must comply with laws on this substance for pain management.
What are opioids or controlled substances?
Continuing chemotherapy with <1 % survival benefit raises questions about prolonging suffering.
What is futile treatment (or non-beneficial care)