Introduction
Nursing implies numerous daily interactions with patients who have different needs and backgrounds. The outcomes and success of treatment critically depend on the degree to which caregivers manage to satisfy clients and their basic demands. Under these conditions, ethical principles are the top priority and the core of interaction between all parties involved in the treatment process. The ability to avoid conflicts or resolve them fast and effectively is essential to healthcare as it promotes better understanding and treatment. In this regard, observing the ethical principles within the nursing practice is critical. For instance, do-not-resuscitate orders (DNR) could be viewed as a part of the patient’s autonomy.
For this reason, the same ethical principle can be applied to this theme. However, in many cases, it leads to misinterpretation by nurses, who view it as the need to stop treatment. Under these conditions, the principle of autonomy is the top priority in avoiding misunderstandings, discussing the DNR aspects with patients, and ensuring both parties are satisfied with the accepted decisions.
DNR Orders and Ethical Concerns
The patient’s desire to be involved in treatment decisions is a natural need linked to his/her concerns about the outcomes. However, in many cases, health workers might prefer making decisions because of their competencies, experiences, and knowledge, avoiding consulting with clients or informing them (Kelly et al., 2021). Otherwise, nurses might have misconceptions about client’s wishes, such as do-not-resuscitate (DNR) commands, viewing them as the direct indication of the necessity to stop any treatment (Kelly et al., 2021). These misunderstandings might significantly impact the quality of care and outcomes. For this reason, adhering to the major ethical principles is essential for the healthcare sector. It helps to address issues such as those mentioned above and guarantees that patients are satisfied and provided with the best possible treatment.
Furthermore, DNR might serve as a basis for numerous ethical concerns. Many medical professionals need to be more accurate with this code status documentation, which leads to severe mistakes (Brecher & Morris, 2022). As a result of respecting the patient’s right to make decisions, nurses might make wrong decisions because of the lack of interaction and cooperation with clients and teams. However, DNR orders do not replace other plans for care as they serve as a specific addendum (Robbins, 2021). Under these conditions, clarification of the intent of the order is essential to select the best possible scheme in the future (Robbins, 2021). The DNR orders should also be based on the correct and relevant information nurses provide, meaning that the principle of autonomy is essential as the patient should make informed decisions about his/her health.
Principle of Autonomy
In such a way, considering the importance of interactions between a nurse and a patient, autonomy is the top priority. It implies that a patient has a right to decide about issues and matters affecting him/her (Finkelman, 2019). The patient chooses what methods and approaches can be used while the healthcare provider offers recommendations regarding the client’s state, current needs, and treatments available for a particular condition (Finkelman, 2019). It applies to DNR orders as a nurse’s role is to offer information to a patient, ensure he/she understands it, and support his/her attempts to play an active role in decision-making (Finkelman, 2019). At the same time, it is challenging as the decisions made by a client seem erroneous to a health worker.
Moreover, they might be confusing, meaning additional clarification might be required. However, the nurse can only give recommendations and discuss them with a person to ensure the consequences are realized (Finkelman, 2019). It will provide no misconceptions, and the principle of autonomy will be observed.
Significance
The principle of autonomy is significant to nursing-patient care and should be considered the basis of all interaction within the modern healthcare sector. The higher degree of patient involvement in the process of treatment helps to avoid mistakes similar to nurses’ confusion when working with DNR commands or other patients who have complex wishes (Robbins, 2021). Furthermore, it stimulates cooperation between parties as nurses should communicate with clients to share information to ensure that decisions are made based on current and up-to-date findings. Under these conditions, observing the principle of autonomy within healthcare is significant as it promotes better cooperation with the patient, improves outcomes, and helps to avoid ethical issues in the future.
Conclusion
Altogether, nurses play a fundamental role in the modern healthcare sector. Specialists who directly interact with patients are responsible for providing them with information and guaranteeing a high level of satisfaction. Under these conditions, implementing the ethical principle of autonomy in practice is central to them. It cultivates higher satisfaction levels among clients and ensures they realize their importance and share critical information about their conditions. At the same time, observing the principle, it is possible to avoid conflicts, destroy misconceptions such as those linked to DNR, and prevent medical workers from providing adequate care to patients. In such a way, the problem of choice or the provision of appropriate treatment might be resolved by applying the central principles of nursing practice.
References
Brecher, D. B., & Morris, S. M. (2022). Back to the basics – is comfort care the same as do not resuscitate? How misinterpreting code status may lead to potential patient harm. The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care, 39(8), 885–887. Web.
Finkelman, A. (2019). Professional nursing concepts: Competencies for quality leadership (4th ed.). Jones and Bartlet.
Kelly, P. A., Baker, K. A., Hodges, K. M., Vuong, E. Y., Lee, J. C., & Lockwood, S. W. (2021). Original research: Nurses’ perspectives on caring for patients with do-not-resuscitate orders. The American Journal of Nursing, 121(1), 26–36. Web.
Robbins, K. C. (2021). Do-not-resuscitate orders – What exactly do they mean? Nephrology Nursing Journal, 48(4), 421–423. Web.