Since the participants in the current case study are heavily intoxicated, the process of obtaining informed consent becomes complicated. According to recent studies, the majority of people who filed questionnaires while intoxicated could not remember the event once they became sober (Martel et al., 2018). Therefore, an ethical problem arises for registered nurses and other hospital personnel since the intoxicated patient is not fully aware of their actions. Nevertheless, in the case of the current situation, nurses can utilize the exception from informed consent (EFIC)m because the patient needs a time-sensitive intervention. Thus, the ethical problem concerning informed consent in intoxicated patients can be overcome without violating the established ethical standards.
One of the key ethical problems in the current study is also the autonomy of the patient. Essentially, in a normal setting, the patient must give their consent to an intervention which will concern their autonomy. Yet, in the given situation, consent is impossible; therefore, the principles of autonomy and beneficence come into conflict with each other (Varkey, 2021). Nevertheless, the latter must prevail in order to prevent any further complications. Additionally, it is reasonable for the clinician to conduct the research because they must act in accordance with the patient’s interests and to promote their well-being.
Confidentiality is one of the key obligations of any medical worker which they need to uphold. Essentially, it is crucial to protect the patient’s privacy against disclosure since they have the right to keep their medical information secret (George & Bhila, 2019). In order to guarantee confidentiality to the participants in the current study, I would avoid discussing their health status with anyone, including my family and friends. Additionally, I will ensure that the electronic medical records of the patients are protected and not exposed to any third party.
References
George, J., & Bhila, T. (2019). Security, confidentiality and privacy in health of healthcare data. International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development, 3(4), 373–377.
Martel, M., Klein, L., Miner, J., Cole, J., Nystrom, P., Holm, K., & Biros, M. (2018). A brief assessment of capacity to consent instrument in acutely intoxicated emergency department patients. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 36(1), 18–23. Web.
Varkey, B. (2021). Principles of clinical ethics and their application to practice. Medical Principles and Practice, 30, 17–28. Web.