Case study

CASE STUDY Resolving the case Ethically, as a nurse in this situation, I have to think of the risk of harm, and the best needs of the client. The mother is an ambulatory substance abuser who may pose a risk of harm to her baby; the baby is in much more critical need of care. Often treatment of substance abuse involves treatment of underlying mental problems as well. Until the
substance abuse has been arrested in the individual who is abusing the substance, there will continue to be mental and even physical problems. There is no clear indication in this scenario or case that the mother has arrested her problems. Therefore, as a nurse in this situation, I would resolve the case by refusing to let the mother hold her child, explaining to her that until the child’s condition stabilized, she would pose a threat to her own infant in this case.
Ethical principles
The individual must make ethical choices regarding how to behave. This behavior can be broken down into two categories: the choice as it effects the society around the person making the decision, and the decision as it effects the self of the individual making the choice. In other words, a person can make a decision that benefits them personally, or they can make an ethical decision that benefits others and reduces the total amount of harm to society. By refusing to let this substance abusing mother see her critically injured infant and hold the infant, I would be reducing the level of harm in society and protecting the infant. Additionally, the mother has admitted inducing labor by using crack cocaine.
Utilitarianism support
The actions recommended in this case can be tied to ethical theories that are
discussed by looking at the philosophy of utilitarianism, which states that it is fine to overthrow ideas of what should be when faced with the realities of what is working in the present. I may have had a stereotype of the mother being able to hold her infant in this case, but the reality of the case subverts this. Utilitarianism is also about achieving the maximum amount of happiness for the most people. Since its impetus, utilitarianism has been interpreted and used in many ways by many societies, from political interpretations to interpretations that have affected educational systems. In short, in the case, keeping the mother away from her infant can be justified by utilitarian reasoning that shows that it represents a pervasive and effective protection of the infant, designed to maximize its health and happiness.
ANA code of ethics
There are many elements of the ANA code of ethics that can be seen in this case. For example, issues of responsibility for decision making and planning comes up in the nurse’s decision. “ Responsibility refers to the specific accountability or liability associated with the performance of duties of a particular role” (Code, 2009). In this role, the nurse must think of the needs of the client and protect these needs, while serving and helping them. Basically, the problematic case example shows a conflict, because the nurse may think that the mother has the natural right to hold her child. “ Many situations faced by the nurse pose the problem of the rights of the patient conflicting with benefits to the patient” (ANA, 2009). In this case, as in others, the nurse’s role must highlight the benefits, especially when lives are at stake.
REFERENCE
Code of ethics (2009). http://nursingworld. org/ethics/code/protected_nwcoe813. htm
ANA code of ethics (2009). http://www. nursingworld. org/mods/mod580/cecde03. htm