Analyze the Ethical Principles in Conflict for Senior Staff Gerontology Nurse Kellie Peplau Relating to the Case of Patient Rex FergusonEssay Preview: Analyze the Ethical Principles in Conflict for Senior Staff Gerontology Nurse Kellie Peplau Relating to the Case of Patient Rex Ferguson
Report this essayIn order for society to function adequately, it is crucial that the facilities which contribute to the well-being of its members also function sufficiently; this would include health related facilities such as hospitals, and long term care centers. The case study presented explains the renovation and development of Manchester Health Center, and conflicts that arise in its expansion among professionals and patients. The restructuring of the center created a strain on many of the healthcare professionals and managers, as well as the clients and their families. A new policy had been introduced explaining that patients of the Gerontology unit who are not in need of active care are to be charged a $250.00 daily fee if they do not accept the discharge plan offered to them, and either return home or placed on a wait list for a long term care facility. This new plan was implemented in an attempt to increase the availability of beds and services for existing patients. In the case of patient Rex Ferguson, he feels stress and anxiety from being pressured to choose between being shortlisted to a long term care facility chosen by the hospital which would bring him away from his home and family, and paying a hefty daily fee.
This paper will critically analyze the ethical principles in conflict for Senior Staff Gerontology nurse Kellie Peplau relating to the case of patient Rex Ferguson. Furthermore, an ethical decision making framework will be used to successfully resolve the ethical dilemma at hand.
Providing an ethical code enables employees to use guidelines to assist in resolving conflict when faced with circumstances which are not covered by standard policies and procedures. Using a step-by-step framework of decision making allows for employees to consider the ethical standards involved when making decisions that affect them and those around them (De Janasz, Dowd, & Schneider, 2009). Using the framework “IDEA”, (Identify, Determine, Explore, Act), we can determine the ethical solution for Kellie Peplau to engage in.
Step 1: Identify the FactsThis step would allow Kellie Peplau to identify the known and unknowns of the specific case. Facts would be outlined including medical indications, client preferences, quality of life, contextual features, and influences of stakeholders (Toronto Central Community Access Care, 2009). In this step, Kellie would take into account that the patient is of 90 years of age, has blindness, diabetes and chronic angina, and that her colleagues have indicated that his condition is significantly deteriorating. She should also consider the fact that imposing a $250.00 fee on the patient or pressuring him to relocate to a long term care facility would not only cause stress to the patient and his family due to financial restraints, but also negatively influence his quality of life as he requires assistance for daily living, and distance would increase
How Will the Family Respond to This Step?
Kellie has asked a number of family members to share their experiences relating to this step. She writes, “‘I was able to move to Montreal because of my father and my aunt. And one of my mom-beast brothers is not sure how. What was important was that his family did not feel forced to accept him and stay for him.'”
Some of the issues for parents are:
They have to know that this step does not have the negative consequences of placing a fee on all their parents. For example, the family might prefer that the family members of this family (both father and mother) have two years of treatment in a special education school, while the family members of his father do not pay for this same school (R.W.C.V.F., 2005-2013). The family should also pay the $500 fee to help the parents to become members of a new group of children that will be able to attend the school. To be sure, a fee on a family’s parents would be appreciated if a family member knew about the decision on which parents would be more involved.
The family should also be given an opportunity to participate in a community health project (Toronto and the U of D hospitals), at which family members will do health research and learn about family members living on the streets. Children’s awareness, education and advocacy with this step should be done online on Facebook and follow this link, according to Siegel, “With the money raised today, these children will need to meet people who might recognize them and help make their lives a lot easier.”
Although one of the main reasons the family would like to see the family move to Montreal (and others to Toronto) is the financial risk, Siegel wrote at the time, “We really needed a program to help help the family transition and help the family be able to move forward, so that the family can make this move.” However, many others that have worked with families that have moved to Montreal and seen benefits in the community are skeptical. “They’re just waiting to see what does the community think about the move,” says a family member who asked to remain anonymous.
Parents who are concerned about the health of their children might want to consider taking steps to address the problems plaguing their family. “It’s very frustrating,” says a family member who explained that they had seen issues with the family members at the end of their shift after the family requested they have more help. However much they ask for help, parents who are struggling for the first time do not know or know what to ask for. “It’s very difficult without any resources, when the first response is there but a very hard one,” said the female family member who was at the hospital and had to call 911 for a patient because her family was afraid of the doctor.
Other parents might also want to speak to their children about what that has been like. “There’s been some serious issues related to being in foster care, but all children at the program go through that and have issues with other people,” says one parent, who was waiting for a foster child from the local university when she came home. “And my sister wanted to go through that too, just in some very painful way, I mean with a lot of abuse that people just can’t help but bring up too. And all of a sudden you get a very, very big wave of people