The situation that involves an ethical issue may be depicted as follows. An Arabic family has come for a medical checkup of their daughter. However, the parents state that their religion does not allow a woman’s body to be touched, and the clothes cannot be taken off. However, the daughter is likely to have a disease – there are signs of high temperature, coughing, and dyspnea.
The healthcare industry, which is founded on science and is motivated by outcomes, might conflict with patients’ personal and religious convictions. Some religions have restrictions on the use of medical procedures and other measures that might save lives (Duquense University, 2020). The primary objective of nursing care is to alleviate patients’ suffering and free them to take responsibility for their own health and well-being. In the case of patients or their families who have strong religious or cultural views, the emphasis may be placed on strictly sticking to a predetermined set of protocols. According to the ANA Code of Ethics, registered nurses are obligated to respect the distinctive distinctions of each patient, which include the patient’s lifestyle, the system of values, and religious views (American Nurses Association, 2015). The violation here might come from the necessity to force the parents to allow the body examination, given that the disease can be severe.
The two ethical principles that may arise in the described situation are beneficence and veracity. The former is relevant because there is an apparent need to act in a way that will save the patient’s life – if the illness is serious indeed. In order to determine this, it is essential not to adhere to the religious views of the parents. Veracity takes place as it is important to deliver to the family the worst possible scenario in case of these parents’ stubbornness (Handzel, 2023). To lessen the impact of the situation on their practice, the nurse may appeal to the Ethical Board so that the decision regarding the further scenario could be made appropriately. Such an approach will ensure the case’s examination from multiple perspectives.
References
American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of ethics with interpretative statements. Web.
Duquense University. (2020). Ethical issues in nursing: Explanations & solutions. Web.
Handzel, S. (2023). 7 ethical principles in nursing. Intely Care. Web.