Question
The nurse is caring for clients in a hospital setting. Which situations encountered by the nurse have a significant ethical component? Select all that apply.
Addressing a suspected breach in confidentiality Helping a client make end-of-life decisions Deciding how to reassign staff in light of budget cuts Deciding when to stop cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a client in cardiac arrest Deciding which continuing education offerings to take
Addressing a suspected breach in confidentiality Helping a client make end-of-life decisions Deciding how to reassign staff in light of budget cuts Deciding when to stop cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a client in cardiac arrest Deciding which continuing education offerings to take
Answers
GPT-4o mini
In the scenarios presented, the situations that have a significant ethical component are:
1. **Addressing a suspected breach in confidentiality** - This involves issues of privacy and trust, which are fundamental ethical principles in nursing and healthcare.
2. **Helping a client make end-of-life decisions** - This situation involves ethical considerations regarding autonomy, informed consent, and respect for the client's wishes in the context of serious illness.
3. **Deciding when to stop cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a client in cardiac arrest** - This decision involves assessing the futility of the intervention, patient autonomy, and ethical guidelines related to the quality of life and death.
The other two options, while they may involve decision-making, do not carry the same significant ethical implications:
- **Deciding how to reassign staff in light of budget cuts** - This may involve management and operational decisions but does not directly pertain to the ethical principles that govern patient care.
- **Deciding which continuing education offerings to take** - This is related to personal and professional development and does not involve ethical dilemmas in the same way as the other situations.
Thus, the selections with significant ethical content are:
- Addressing a suspected breach in confidentiality
- Helping a client make end-of-life decisions
- Deciding when to stop cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a client in cardiac arrest
1. **Addressing a suspected breach in confidentiality** - This involves issues of privacy and trust, which are fundamental ethical principles in nursing and healthcare.
2. **Helping a client make end-of-life decisions** - This situation involves ethical considerations regarding autonomy, informed consent, and respect for the client's wishes in the context of serious illness.
3. **Deciding when to stop cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a client in cardiac arrest** - This decision involves assessing the futility of the intervention, patient autonomy, and ethical guidelines related to the quality of life and death.
The other two options, while they may involve decision-making, do not carry the same significant ethical implications:
- **Deciding how to reassign staff in light of budget cuts** - This may involve management and operational decisions but does not directly pertain to the ethical principles that govern patient care.
- **Deciding which continuing education offerings to take** - This is related to personal and professional development and does not involve ethical dilemmas in the same way as the other situations.
Thus, the selections with significant ethical content are:
- Addressing a suspected breach in confidentiality
- Helping a client make end-of-life decisions
- Deciding when to stop cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a client in cardiac arrest