Exam 6: Ethical Decision Making

What step in the process of ethical decision making involves the nurse examining the situation for evidence of conflicting obligations, principles, duties, rights, loyalties, values, or beliefs?

The nurse and other members of the healthcare team participate with the patient in making a particularly difficult moral decision. If the CNO Practice Standard for Ethics is properly implemented, which of the following may occur?

The nurse manager asks Martha, a staff nurse, if she will work an additional four hours at the end of her shift. Martha's patient is unstable, and there are not enough nurses on the next shift to care for him adequately. If she works overtime, Martha will have to break a promise she made to watch her children's soccer game. What is this situation an example of?

When does moral uncertainty occur?

Michael, an ICU nurse, worked with the team as they followed the physician's order to discontinue life support on a patient diagnosed with persistent vegetative state. Michael believes that life is sacred and that he has a duty to do whatever it takes to preserve life. Nevertheless, he remained silent as the decision was made, and he assisted his coworkers when they unplugged the respirator. In this situation, what is Michael likely to experience?

A couple are pregnant with their second child and, during a routine ultrasound, the physician discovers that the fetus is anencephalic. The life expectancy of an anencephalic baby is only a few weeks after birth. The couple struggle with the choice of whether to terminate the pregnancy at this time or to carry to term. The couple decide to terminate the pregnancy. What stage of the ethical decision making process is this?

During which step of the moral decision-making process is it appropriate to determine the key participants?

Why do physicians sometimes make unilateral decisions in morally important situations?

According to Thomas and Waluchow, which of the following is an example of a pre-reflective statement in response to a moral question?

When do moral dilemmas occur?

What step in the process of ethical decision making involves participants excluding results that are totally unacceptable, along with their potential consequences?

Which of the following best defines moral residue?

Which of the following is an example of a moral dilemma?

The nurse is involving all stakeholders and has identified and proposed new options to institutional guidelines. Applying the nursing process, what stage would the nurse be using, according to the College of Nurses Practice Standard for Ethics?

A registered nurse witnesses another nurse violating a patient's autonomy. Even though she did not participate in the action, the nurse who witnessed the act experiences powerlessness, frustration, and anger. What does this reaction describe?