Ethicle consideraions, health & medical homework help

A strategic plan is a document used to structure and communicate organizational goals. It is also used to mitigate risks and alleviate the potential for legal cases. Barbara receives information that there is an additional, more pressing issue at a satellite clinic that is not documented in the original UCCO case. This issue relates to the emergency care clinic, which is used to treat patients with trauma-related injuries. The clinic has been over-utilized for the past year, resulting in stressed staffing, overwhelming costs, and decreasing quality of patient care and customer satisfaction. Staff productivity is affected by use of personal cell phones and clinic equipment is often used for social media.

In one particular case, a 13-year old patient was seen for trauma care by the UCCO Emergency Clinic. The patient’s parents make it clear to the staff that they are not willing to give consent to any procedure involving blood products or transfusion. The risks are explained to the parents. The patient arrived unconscious but shortly regains consciousness. After the parents leave the room, the patient tells the nurse that she is afraid of dying and would like any care, including blood procedures and products, to save her life. The nurse later finds out that the rejection by the parents was due to religious reasons. The nurse quickly discusses the case with fellow employees, one of which posts comments on her social media page using a clinic-owned computer. The nursing director give a verbal warning to all involved nurses and staff.

Visit the Rasmussen online Library and search for a minimum of 3 articles covering the topics of ethics, healthcare professionalism, and federal legislations. Conduct academic research using the library’s databases, like:

  • CINAHL
  • Discovery
  • Business Source Complete via EBSCO
  • Business via ProQuest

In the databases use basic search languages (controlled vocabulary/keywords) to determine ethics laws specific to this situation. Some keywords to consider are healthcare professional code of ethics. Then, refine your searches based on your search results. Make sure to include a minimum of 3 credible, academic sources in your paper.

Using your research, address the following points in a minimum of 3-page report:

  • Was the nursing manager legally compliant with to protect patient information? Explain the legal risks and support with federal legislations and professional expectations, such as HIPAA and professional codes of ethics.
  • What bearing does the age and religious requests have on the patient’s case? Are there medical and ethical laws that supersede the parent’s requests?
  • What is the role and importance of communication among UCCO facilities, particularly in reference to compliance and ethical standards?
  • What are the ethical and professional factors of using social media?
  • Were the reactions to the patient’s case illegal, or just unethical? How does this align with UCCO’s mission, values, and strategic action plans? How does it compare to your own personal beliefs and values?

Remember to integrate citations accurately and appropriately for all resource types; use attribution (credit) as a method to avoid plagiarism. Use NoodleBib to document your sources and to complete your APA formatted reference page and in-text citations.

Transferable Skills for this Project Stage:
  • Ethics & Professional Responsibility

Expert Solution Preview

Introduction:

This assignment requires students to conduct academic research on ethics, healthcare professionalism, and federal legislations related to a specific case. The case involves a patient who arrives unconscious and requires emergency care, but the parents reject any procedure involving blood products or transfusion due to religious reasons. The nursing director gives a verbal warning to all involved nurses and staff after one of them posts comments on her social media page using a clinic-owned computer. The report must address legal risks, federal legislations, professional expectations, medical and ethical laws, communication among facilities, ethical and professional factors of using social media, and alignment with the organization’s mission, values, and strategic action plans.

Answer:

1. Was the nursing manager legally compliant with protecting patient information? Explain the legal risks and support with federal legislations and professional expectations, such as HIPAA and professional codes of ethics.

No, the nursing manager was not legally compliant with protecting patient information. The nurse discussed the case with fellow employees, and one of them posted comments on her social media page using a clinic-owned computer. This violates HIPAA regulations, which require covered entities to protect the privacy and security of patients’ Protected Health Information (PHI). The nurse who posted the comments violated the organization’s social media policy and the professional code of ethics, which requires confidentiality and respect for patients’ autonomy.

The legal risks associated with such actions could lead to civil and criminal penalties, loss of reputation, and revocation of professional licenses. The nursing manager could be held liable for the nurse’s actions since it occurred within the scope of employment. It is crucial that nursing managers educate their staff on HIPAA regulations, professional codes of ethics, and organizational policies regarding patient privacy and social media use.

2. What bearing does the age and religious requests have on the patient’s case? Are there medical and ethical laws that supersede the parent’s requests?

The patient’s age and religious requests are relevant to the case since it involves a decision regarding the patient’s care. The patient is a minor, and according to the principle of informed consent, the parents would usually make decisions on the patient’s behalf. However, if the patient has the capacity to make decisions, they should be involved in the decision-making process.

In this case, the patient regained consciousness and expressed her desire for any care, including blood procedures and products, to save her life. This conflicts with the parents’ religious requests, but medical and ethical laws prioritize saving the patient’s life and preventing harm. The nurse should have respected the patient’s wishes since it was in her best interest. Healthcare professionals have a duty to act in the patient’s best interest and uphold the ethical principles of beneficence and non-maleficence.

3. What is the role and importance of communication among UCCO facilities, particularly in reference to compliance and ethical standards?

Communication among UCCO facilities is essential to ensure compliance with ethical and legal standards. Different facilities could have different policies, procedures, and expectations, which could lead to inconsistency and confusion. Clear communication among facilities can prevent errors, increase efficiency, and promote ethical principles.

UCCO could benefit from implementing an interfacility communication system that facilitates sharing of patient information, policies and procedures, and best practices. This could improve compliance with ethical and legal standards and enhance patient outcomes. Healthcare professionals have a duty to collaborate and communicate effectively to ensure the provision of high-quality care.

4. What are the ethical and professional factors of using social media?

Using social media as a healthcare professional raises several ethical and professional factors. The use of social media could violate patients’ privacy and could damage the healthcare professional’s reputation. Posting comments related to patients’ care, even if anonymous, could lead to breaches of confidentiality and violation of HIPAA regulations.

Healthcare professionals should refrain from using social media to discuss patients and should be aware of their employer’s social media policy. They should also consider how their use of social media could affect their professional relationships and their own reputation. Ethical principles of confidentiality, respect, and beneficence should guide healthcare professionals’ use of social media.

5. Were the reactions to the patient’s case illegal, or just unethical? How does this align with UCCO’s mission, values, and strategic action plans? How does it compare to your own personal beliefs and values?

The reactions to the patient’s case were illegal and unethical. The nurse who posted comments on her social media page violated HIPAA regulations and UCCO’s policies and codes of ethics. The nursing director should have taken a more formal disciplinary action, such as a written warning, to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

The reactions do not align with UCCO’s mission and values, which prioritize patient-centered care, respect, and confidentiality. The organization’s strategic action plans should include initiatives that promote ethical and legal compliance and patient safety.

As a medical professional, I believe that healthcare professionals should prioritize patients’ well-being and respect their autonomy. I also recognize the importance of complying with ethical and legal standards to maintain patients’ trust and promote the healthcare profession’s integrity.

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