If I had a patient who was requesting something I did not believe was moral, I would try to honor it. If i didn't feel that I could honor the request, I would do my best to find someone who could. Even still, this immoral request would not affect my care of the patient. In medicine, as in other fields, it is important to remain unbiased in most situations, whether a patient is clearly in the wrong or not. Our job is to do everything we can to better a person's physiological state, not to judge them. I believe God will ultimately take care of that.
Mallory, I completely agree with your statement.We can only do so much to educate the patient on the risks, of their immoral decisions. In healthcare, it is not what the administrator wants it always about the patient's wishes in the end.
If my patient made a request that I thought was immoral, I would try to explain the outcome of their actions if they chose to go forward. If the request was something I was not comfortable with, I would try to find someone else who conformable with the request. In the healthcare field, it is important to remember that the patient wishes come first.
I agree with your answer. In the end, whatever the person chooses to do whether immoral or moral is their choice for their own body. Whether it is between life and death or not. If I was not comfortable with it I would merely send them to another Doctor who would perform what they wished. I would try to keep as much of my opinion out of the situation and just flat out tell them I cannot do what they want.
If a patient of mine makes a request of me that I find completely immoral I would, like Chante and Mallory, attempt to find somebody who is, and provide information on the subject to help them make a more informed decision. I find myself thinking that if the patient is properly informed and if it were within the parameters of my job, then I would proceed with the request as best as I know how. As a nurse we are to advocate for our patients and provide unbiased care. I feel if you are that concerned then you may refuse that request but you are obligated to find them another source to help fulfill their request. I can not think of any request from a patient that I would refuse, with it being in my scope of practice.
I was trying to think of a question or situation that would be immoral, and it would have to be some crazy request that would impose harm to the patient in order for me to deny the request to them. Otherwise, I would honor it to the best of my ability. I would explain my reasoning if harm were a factor and the good and bad outcomes as a result of their decision. It would place the decision on the patient as to whether or not my level or care provided was what they would want. As Derek explained, I would treat any patient within my scope of practice.
I was thinking the same thing Heidi! I would also respect their request unless it was something that would harm the person or themselves. We are constantly being taught in nursing school that the patient has the right to be wrong, which I agree with. It is not my place to judge what my patients beliefs are, I should be giving the best nursing care I can to my patient.
Katie I noticed after writing my own post that it is nearly the same thing you said here! And like Heidi said, unless what the patient asks for is generally unacceptable it is best to work with the patient towards their preferred outcome
If I were in this situation I would have to respect what the patient wants to do. It is their decision to make about what happens. But if it is something that I wouldn't be comfortable with doing then I would have to have an associate follow through with their decision.
Depending on the breadth of the request, I would say that I would usually provide whatever my patient asks for. As long as they are not looking to bring harm to others, I feel like it is within reason for the patient to control their own outcome. In nursing, we are taught to advocate for the patient without judging them, and this would include dealing with family members and loved ones who may not agree.
If I were to have a patient who requested something that I felt was immoral, I would first on to to further ask the patient why they felt this way. If I felt that there was nothing that I could do or say to make them change their mind then if it did not harm them or anyone else I would find another person who could help them with their request. Like Derek said, as nurses, it is our job to advocate for our patients and sometimes it has to be with things that we do not agree with.
If a patient came to me and requested something I believe to be completely immoral I would do my best to find someone who has similar moral beliefs to the patient. I don't think I should be forced to do something immoral, but I also don't think my patient should be restricted from what they want based on my beliefs of what is right and wrong.
If I had a patient who makes a request that I believe is completely immoral would explain all their options that they have and make sure all their questions are answered. If they still want to go through it I will support their decision. But if it is something I couldn't live with myself doing it I would find someone else to complete it.
i think that it truly takes a special person to be a health care provider, knowing that someday this may happen. i wouldn't be able to go through with something i believed to be morally wrong. if it was something i just couldn't do myself, i would request assistance from a colleague, but if that isn't an option and its something i really feel strongly about, i think i may be willing to leave the position.
I agree with Jonna on this one. I would make sure all options are presented and all questions are answered before they make a final decision. In the end, I think the choice is their own and they can do whatever they wish. But if I am unable to do it myself because of my beliefs or because it would just hurt me too much, I would request a new person complete the task. I give a lot of props to health care providers because they have to do this almost everyday and it's definitely very hard.
I like that you mentioned you could ask someone else to complete the task if it is too far from your beliefs for you to do it yourself. This is something I would do as well. If it is a very strong belief of yours and the situation is making you very uncomfortable, asking someone else to do it would be best for you and the patient. The patient doesn't want to make you uncomfortable, and you being uncomfortable could upset the patient as well. Being the bigger person and asking someone else to do it would be the right thing to do.
Having a patient make a request that I believe is completely immoral would be a very tough situation. However, in the end it is the patients decision. I would discuss the parameters of their decision with them. They need to know all of the consequences of what their decision is and the effect that it will have on others. If I saw that their decision was making them seem stressed, I would try and talk them out of it because there is clearly doubt in their mind. However, if discussing it with them is what stresses them out, I would have to begin to back off to make sure that the patient isn't getting frustrated with me and I am still doing my job. I would do whatever it took to make the patient comfortable, then think about trying to change their mind but again in the end it is their decision and I wouldn't want to cross any boundaries and overstep.
If I had a patient who was requesting something I did not believe was moral, I would try to honor it. If i didn't feel that I could honor the request, I would do my best to find someone who could. Even still, this immoral request would not affect my care of the patient. In medicine, as in other fields, it is important to remain unbiased in most situations, whether a patient is clearly in the wrong or not. Our job is to do everything we can to better a person's physiological state, not to judge them. I believe God will ultimately take care of that.
ReplyDeleteMallory, I completely agree with your statement.We can only do so much to educate the patient on the risks, of their immoral decisions. In healthcare, it is not what the administrator wants it always about the patient's wishes in the end.
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ReplyDeleteIf my patient made a request that I thought was immoral, I would try to explain the outcome of their actions if they chose to go forward. If the request was something I was not comfortable with, I would try to find someone else who conformable with the request. In the healthcare field, it is important to remember that the patient wishes come first.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your answer. In the end, whatever the person chooses to do whether immoral or moral is their choice for their own body. Whether it is between life and death or not. If I was not comfortable with it I would merely send them to another Doctor who would perform what they wished. I would try to keep as much of my opinion out of the situation and just flat out tell them I cannot do what they want.
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ReplyDeleteIf a patient of mine makes a request of me that I find completely immoral I would, like Chante and Mallory, attempt to find somebody who is, and provide information on the subject to help them make a more informed decision. I find myself thinking that if the patient is properly informed and if it were within the parameters of my job, then I would proceed with the request as best as I know how. As a nurse we are to advocate for our patients and provide unbiased care. I feel if you are that concerned then you may refuse that request but you are obligated to find them another source to help fulfill their request. I can not think of any request from a patient that I would refuse, with it being in my scope of practice.
ReplyDeleteI was trying to think of a question or situation that would be immoral, and it would have to be some crazy request that would impose harm to the patient in order for me to deny the request to them. Otherwise, I would honor it to the best of my ability. I would explain my reasoning if harm were a factor and the good and bad outcomes as a result of their decision. It would place the decision on the patient as to whether or not my level or care provided was what they would want. As Derek explained, I would treat any patient within my scope of practice.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the same thing Heidi! I would also respect their request unless it was something that would harm the person or themselves. We are constantly being taught in nursing school that the patient has the right to be wrong, which I agree with. It is not my place to judge what my patients beliefs are, I should be giving the best nursing care I can to my patient.
DeleteKatie I noticed after writing my own post that it is nearly the same thing you said here! And like Heidi said, unless what the patient asks for is generally unacceptable it is best to work with the patient towards their preferred outcome
DeleteIf I were in this situation I would have to respect what the patient wants to do. It is their decision to make about what happens. But if it is something that I wouldn't be comfortable with doing then I would have to have an associate follow through with their decision.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I said! I don't want to deny the patient, but also don't want to compromise my own moral code.
DeleteDepending on the breadth of the request, I would say that I would usually provide whatever my patient asks for. As long as they are not looking to bring harm to others, I feel like it is within reason for the patient to control their own outcome. In nursing, we are taught to advocate for the patient without judging them, and this would include dealing with family members and loved ones who may not agree.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to have a patient who requested something that I felt was immoral, I would first on to to further ask the patient why they felt this way. If I felt that there was nothing that I could do or say to make them change their mind then if it did not harm them or anyone else I would find another person who could help them with their request. Like Derek said, as nurses, it is our job to advocate for our patients and sometimes it has to be with things that we do not agree with.
ReplyDeleteIf a patient came to me and requested something I believe to be completely immoral I would do my best to find someone who has similar moral beliefs to the patient. I don't think I should be forced to do something immoral, but I also don't think my patient should be restricted from what they want based on my beliefs of what is right and wrong.
ReplyDeleteIf I had a patient who makes a request that I believe is completely immoral would explain all their options that they have and make sure all their questions are answered. If they still want to go through it I will support their decision. But if it is something I couldn't live with myself doing it I would find someone else to complete it.
ReplyDeletei think that it truly takes a special person to be a health care provider, knowing that someday this may happen. i wouldn't be able to go through with something i believed to be morally wrong. if it was something i just couldn't do myself, i would request assistance from a colleague, but if that isn't an option and its something i really feel strongly about, i think i may be willing to leave the position.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jonna on this one. I would make sure all options are presented and all questions are answered before they make a final decision. In the end, I think the choice is their own and they can do whatever they wish. But if I am unable to do it myself because of my beliefs or because it would just hurt me too much, I would request a new person complete the task. I give a lot of props to health care providers because they have to do this almost everyday and it's definitely very hard.
ReplyDeleteI like that you mentioned you could ask someone else to complete the task if it is too far from your beliefs for you to do it yourself. This is something I would do as well. If it is a very strong belief of yours and the situation is making you very uncomfortable, asking someone else to do it would be best for you and the patient. The patient doesn't want to make you uncomfortable, and you being uncomfortable could upset the patient as well. Being the bigger person and asking someone else to do it would be the right thing to do.
DeleteHaving a patient make a request that I believe is completely immoral would be a very tough situation. However, in the end it is the patients decision. I would discuss the parameters of their decision with them. They need to know all of the consequences of what their decision is and the effect that it will have on others. If I saw that their decision was making them seem stressed, I would try and talk them out of it because there is clearly doubt in their mind. However, if discussing it with them is what stresses them out, I would have to begin to back off to make sure that the patient isn't getting frustrated with me and I am still doing my job. I would do whatever it took to make the patient comfortable, then think about trying to change their mind but again in the end it is their decision and I wouldn't want to cross any boundaries and overstep.
ReplyDelete