Describe an example of how you as a professional nurse have used ethical theories or ethical principles in a clinical practice setting

Alternative Answer

There are seven ethical principles nurses keep in mind while providing not only patient care, but in nursing education, nursing leadership, and nursing research roles.  These principles include nurses holding themselves accountable, practicing autonomy, presenting as nonmaleficence, demonstrating beneficence, ensuring justice, displaying fidelity, and showing veracity (Faubion, n.d.). Faubion, (n.d.), illustrates that keeping in line with all of these ethical principles can be challenging no matter how long a nurse has been practicing as well highlights that the role a nurse takes on also changes the way nurses display ethical behaviors.

The last five years of my career, I have been in leadership positions. I demonstrate accountability in many ways. The nurses on my team trust that I am available to them throughout the day to guide and assist them in their everyday practice. I need to be approachable in order for the nurses to feel comfortable to ask for help and act as a role model as well. Recently, one of the nurses confided in me that she was very anxious about case managing a patient with a foley catheter with orders for her to complete the first change upon admission to home care services.

I had her come into the office, reviewed the supplies and the process with her, and we went out together to do the admission and catheter change. I hold myself accountable to ensure the nurses are prepared and confident to perform their role. The nurse did very well with the catheter change and did not even show she was nervous! I believe I was there more for moral support than anything else.

When it comes to practicing autonomy, I need to demonstrate this ethical principle everyday as well. I make decisions that affect both the nurses and patients. I use critical thinking skills to help problem solve and assist nurses in the field. The agency I currently work for provides shift nursing for medically complex children and the LPNs working with the patients call to discuss changes in the patient’s status and rely on me to make decisions, for instance.

The nurses will call me with patient data related to respiratory concerns, together with the information they provide I instruct them to start the patient’s sick plan or if there is a need for a more urgent response, I instruct them to send patient out to the ER.

The ethical principles of nonmaleficence and beneficence are two areas, I exhibit, as a leader to keep the nurses and patients safe as well ensure I protect both nurses and patients. I am responsible for making certain the nurses have the PPE and the safe equipment they need to do their job. In addition, when there are weather emergencies, I activate our emergency protocols and identify which patients absolutely need a nurse to visit or work a shift and which patients can be safe at home without a day or two without a nurse.

It is my responsibility to ensure nurses are proactive with patient medication prepours, reviewing the patient’s individualized emergency care plans, and calling to check in on patients. I needed to do this today, ahead of the severe weather warning and the threat of losing power on this Friday.

In my role, I need to make sure all the nurses are receiving fair treatment. This means each day I review their caseloads, acuity of the patients and the nurses daily schedule so that one nurse is not drowning while others have a lighter day. It’s my responsibility to arrange and make changes so that it is fair and just for everyone. This is an example of ensuring justice for the nurses on my team.

As far as, fidelity and veracity, I support the nurses on my team by starting out every day with a huddle to discuss their day and any challenges they may face. I can offer support and also be truthful on expectations. For instance, it is not reasonable to give the nurses false hope that they will not get an admission or have unexpected patient visits due to change in status every day. Sometimes, I can’t work out the perfect schedule, but I make every attempt possible to assist with making their work day more manageable and safer.

I know there is always room for growth and improvement with applying the seven ethical principles in my nursing practice. Each day new challenges arise and with them I am faced with an opportunity to advance my skills and my ability to practice all seven ethical principles.

Reference

Faubion, D. (n.d.). 7 main ethical principles in nursing + why they’re important. Nursingprocess.org. Retrieved December 21, 2022, from https://www.nursingprocess.org/ethical-principles-in-nursing.html