Ethics and End of Life Flashcards
What are some examples of ethical issues?
informed consent
confidentiality
withholding treatment
healthcare resource distribution
organ and tissue transplants
Ethical decision making steps
Assessment
Develop plan
Implement/evaluate
Value definition
personal belief about worth that acts as a guide to behavior
Value system
entire framework on which actions are based
Values clarification
people attempting to examine values they hold
Moral development definition
a worldview and value system thru evolving; continuous
Autonomy meaning
right to self determination concerning medical care
Beneficence definition
do no harm
promote good of another person
Nonmaleficence definition
not to intentionally inflict harm
abstain from judgment
remove harm
Justice definition
fair distribution of health care resources
Veracity definition
truthfulness to develop trust
Fidelity definition
faithfulness to your commitment
Confidentiality
respect for the right to control information
What can nurses to do promote ethical decisions?
Advocate for patients
ethics consultation
What are nurses involvement in ethics?
duty to treat
Do not abandon patients or their needs
transfer care properly
3 critical care ethical issues
informed consent
life sustaining care
end of life
What is an advanced directive?
communication about preferences for treatments if patient is incapacitated
What are the kinds of advance directives?
DNR
Living will
what treatments they want or don’t want
who makes decisions
What can nurses do to help at end of life?
alleviate distressing symptoms
Clear communication
emotional and psychological care
build trust
How can nurses best communicate when doing end of life care?
provide clear ongoing honest communication
allow for family to express themselves
agree on treatment plan
emphasize that patient will not be abandoned
facilitate continuity of care
What is palliative care?
designed to relieve symptoms that negatively affect patient or family
implemented with ALL PATIENTS not just dying ones
hygiene, skincare etc
What is Hospice?
emphasizes comfort rather than cure
not a location
when aggressive interventions of withdrawn
Palliative performance scale
a tool that identifies functional decline and scores it
Karnofsky scale
Appropriate for patients with cancer diagnoses
What kinds of treatments can be withdrawn?
Ventilator
vasopressor
nutritional
deactivation of ICD
Interventions for end of life care
Ongoing assessment
IV benzos for anxiety
IV morphine
Nonjudgement
offer spiritual counseling
clear concise info
good listener
