Ethical Issues In Health And Social Care Essay

Words: 485
Pages: 2

The geriatric population has its own set of difficulties when caring for them. With these patients, there are many ethical challenges that can come into play. There are nine provisions in the code of ethics, in these provisions there are four that focus on our aging patients, they include; respect, commitment to our patients, competence, and health promotion (American Nurses Association, 2001). These provisions play a big part in our care for the patient. Primary care providers find themselves caring for patients with underlying conditions such as dementia for example that impairs the decision making process. Autonomy is a big deal in caring for a patient, with dementia and other debilitating conditions that keep them from making proper decisions …show more content…
The article by Bennett and Flaherty-Robb (2003), paints the picture of nursing bias due to the age of the patient we are caring for. We must examine our own cultural beliefs regarding age; as our values and beliefs will ultimately impact the care of our patients. It is stated that healthcare providers perceive the elderly as frail and needing to be protected. With this bias we are not upholding provision 1 (respect). Digging deeper into provision 1, it is stated that the primary healthcare provider, in all professional relationships, practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes, or the nature of health problems" (American Nurses Association, 2001). With this provision, we must not put any preconceived thoughts regarding patients into our practice. Finally, end-of-life wishes can raise the ultimate ethical dilemma. Young (2003) states that the majority of nurses deal with end-of-life issues at the personal level. We as healthcare providers hear statements such as "We can’t just let mom die," or "Mom would not have wanted to live like