Impact on Nursing
Nursing considerations was included as part of this website because ethics, related to the subject of mechanical organs as a replacement for human organs, has had, and according to research, will continue to have large affects on the nursing culture. According to (Hermsen & van der Donk, 2009), when discussing dialysis, several themes prevail: a) stopping or continuing dialysis, b) patient non-compliance, c) patients’ wishes versus caregivers’ professional expertise, d) kidney transplantation, e) confidentiality, f) deciding not to resuscitate, and g) difficult patients. These concepts easily pertain to other patients requiring other mechanical organs such as the heart and lungs. A complete document could easily be written on each of these concepts themselves. These are huge dilemmas that nurses face daily when working with mechanical organ recipients. Nursing ethics is embodied in our philosophy, yet nurses have not quite figured out how to handle ethical dilemmas.
Patients requiring mechanical organs are usually deemed to have some sort of a chronic ailment. Professional nursing responsibilities include patient teaching. “The expansion of preparing patients to self-manage chronic disease provides an excellent opportunity to support patient self-determination and better quality of care. It is important to remember that patient education is a moral endeavor that affects patient identity, agency, perceptions of self-worth and possibility” (Redman, 2008, p. 813). We live and work in an evidenced-based research environment. As new research evolves, the education knowledge gap grows significantly for nurses. Who educates the nurse who is supposed to educate the patient? Fiscal responsibility often result in cut backs, and often in a hospital environment, or community based programs, nursing is one of the first professions to be affected by lay offs, or being replaced by less academically inclined health care workers such as Registered Practical Nurses and unregulated workers. Although nurses must continuously update themselves, they must also be presented the opportunity to attend courses and workshops. United, we should argue against replacing the Registered Nurse in certain disease sites. Continuing with patient education, “Ethical lapses in patient education are largely unexamined. The most common error is usurping patient choice by assuming someone else’s goal (societal or provider), or depriving patients of the knowledge and skills to exercise choice” (Redman, 2008, p. 815). As nurses, we are often left to explain to patients and their families exactly what the physician just said to them. Patients are often provided with one choice; the alternative is not always provided; doing nothing is rarely a choice. Nursing educators require the expanded knowledge, skills and abilities to assist staff nurses with the research pertaining to mechanical organs as a replacement for human organs. Nurses require better education and support in the fields of communication skills and the topic of ethics itself. The nursing community is often left to accept what a physician thinks is best, but nurses are great patient advocates and should speak out when needed.
Communication skills is paramount to any good nurse, yet many Registered Nurses struggle when it comes to patient advocacy and standing up against the medical profession when they truly believe that what is being offered is not in their patients best interest. In 2005, Woods argued “well-educated nurses continue to argue that their ethical contribution to health care situations is often received in ways that are either dismissive or condescending” (p. 6). The nursing profession has a long way to go when it comes to having their opinions valued. At times we may offer a contradictory point, but in the end, the physician is still the ordering party, and nursing often falls into complacency; when faced with adversity, we often back away. Negotiation skills and communication techniques are often undervalued; nursing leadership is crucial to the development of a strong nursing body.
“Researchers have stressed to need for nursing leadership to advance change in health care organizations to create safer practice environments for patients” (Cummings, Midodzi, Wong, & Estabrooks. 2010, p. 331). With the introduction of the mandated degree in nursing, we are seeing the evolution of nursing leadership. Just recently released last month, (Midodzi et al., 2010) have shown that the contribution of nursing leadership in hospital environment does affect patient outcomes. To date nursing has had little to say on the subject of mechanical organs as a replacement for human organs, but our leadership is building, and our research capabilities are beginning to show strong capabilities. Research will soon argue empirically that nursing leadership contributes significantly to all facets of patient care.
Patients requiring mechanical organs are usually deemed to have some sort of a chronic ailment. Professional nursing responsibilities include patient teaching. “The expansion of preparing patients to self-manage chronic disease provides an excellent opportunity to support patient self-determination and better quality of care. It is important to remember that patient education is a moral endeavor that affects patient identity, agency, perceptions of self-worth and possibility” (Redman, 2008, p. 813). We live and work in an evidenced-based research environment. As new research evolves, the education knowledge gap grows significantly for nurses. Who educates the nurse who is supposed to educate the patient? Fiscal responsibility often result in cut backs, and often in a hospital environment, or community based programs, nursing is one of the first professions to be affected by lay offs, or being replaced by less academically inclined health care workers such as Registered Practical Nurses and unregulated workers. Although nurses must continuously update themselves, they must also be presented the opportunity to attend courses and workshops. United, we should argue against replacing the Registered Nurse in certain disease sites. Continuing with patient education, “Ethical lapses in patient education are largely unexamined. The most common error is usurping patient choice by assuming someone else’s goal (societal or provider), or depriving patients of the knowledge and skills to exercise choice” (Redman, 2008, p. 815). As nurses, we are often left to explain to patients and their families exactly what the physician just said to them. Patients are often provided with one choice; the alternative is not always provided; doing nothing is rarely a choice. Nursing educators require the expanded knowledge, skills and abilities to assist staff nurses with the research pertaining to mechanical organs as a replacement for human organs. Nurses require better education and support in the fields of communication skills and the topic of ethics itself. The nursing community is often left to accept what a physician thinks is best, but nurses are great patient advocates and should speak out when needed.
Communication skills is paramount to any good nurse, yet many Registered Nurses struggle when it comes to patient advocacy and standing up against the medical profession when they truly believe that what is being offered is not in their patients best interest. In 2005, Woods argued “well-educated nurses continue to argue that their ethical contribution to health care situations is often received in ways that are either dismissive or condescending” (p. 6). The nursing profession has a long way to go when it comes to having their opinions valued. At times we may offer a contradictory point, but in the end, the physician is still the ordering party, and nursing often falls into complacency; when faced with adversity, we often back away. Negotiation skills and communication techniques are often undervalued; nursing leadership is crucial to the development of a strong nursing body.
“Researchers have stressed to need for nursing leadership to advance change in health care organizations to create safer practice environments for patients” (Cummings, Midodzi, Wong, & Estabrooks. 2010, p. 331). With the introduction of the mandated degree in nursing, we are seeing the evolution of nursing leadership. Just recently released last month, (Midodzi et al., 2010) have shown that the contribution of nursing leadership in hospital environment does affect patient outcomes. To date nursing has had little to say on the subject of mechanical organs as a replacement for human organs, but our leadership is building, and our research capabilities are beginning to show strong capabilities. Research will soon argue empirically that nursing leadership contributes significantly to all facets of patient care.