Nursing Ethical Dilemma Scenario

Nursing Ethical Dilemma Scenario
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Nursing Ethical Dilemma Scenario
1.0 Introduction
End of life decision is a common dilemma in nursing practice. A patient may have a chronic illness that causes them severe pain and agony. In this scenario, family members and nurses are faced with a dilemma of ending the patient's life to save them from the suffering. In some cases, patients leave family members with specific end-of-life instructions. However, in many others, healthcare providers and families face a complex situation where the patient is not in a state to make any personal decision. This paper looks at a case study of a patient admitted in the intensive care unit at a large urban hospital.
2.0 Background
The patient was a Caucasian man aged 67 years old. He was a staunch Catholic priest in the local church. He did not have any physical disability. The man lived in a middle-class neighborhood with his wife of 30 years. They had three sons, and he shared a close bond with them. He took a life insurance policy ten years ago, with his sons and wife's main beneficiaries. He held a master's degree in Business Management and had operated a fast food restaurant for over 27 years. The man was healthy until 2016 when he started experiencing frequent strong headaches. They grew in intensity over the years. Soon, he started feeling other symptoms, such as seizures, memory losses, and blurred visions. When he visited the local large urban hospital neurology unit, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. His income allowed him to access some of the best treatment options available. His tumor got worse in 2019, and he went for brain surgery. After the procedure, he was placed in life support in the ICU unit as his health deteriorated. So the family had to decide whether they should end his life, stop his suffering, or keep him alive and see him go through the endless pain.
3.0 Literature review
The Caucasian man’s ethical dilemma presents two conflicting positions. The first is whether to end the Caucasian man's life, and second is whether to prolong his treatment to keep him alive. This section looks at some of the ways his life can be supported. It then describes the controversies of ending the man’s life.
3.1 End of life decision-making models
3.1.1 Individual autonomy
This is based on the patient making decisions of an individual without external meddling. The choice should be based on medical proofs. Truth should be a guiding principle to permit the patient to make an autonomous decision. The process is straightforward when patients have shared their wishes to their next of kin. In this way, the family is obligated to abide by the patient’s whims. However, the effect of family and sociocultural practices may be stimulus to the decision making abilities of a patient. Family centric practices promote prolonged treatment interventions with the hope of recovery. So, nurses should discuss the patient's management with their primary caregivers, who may be the wife or children (Sy, Tan, & Krishna, 2015). This will help them understand the burden of care involved.
3.1.2 Relational autonomy
This model views the family and patient as a closely-knit unit. This means t...