You are a newly registered RPN with the College of Nurses of Ontario. Your first
ID: 123689 • Letter: Y
Question
You are a newly registered RPN with the College of Nurses of Ontario. Your first nursing job is working at an HIV clinic. As part of your duties, you are registering new clients and doing baseline assessments and data collection.
Janine is your first client who is HIV positive and you are shocked to realize she was recently, about 3 months ago, dating your best friend whom you have known for years. Your best friend had confided that he and Janine had had a sexual relationship at the time, and he was upset with the breakup as he really had started to care for Janine.
You are certain your friend was not and is not aware Janine has HIV. You know the “window” period is about 6 months from the time of contracting HIV to possibly testing positive and you are worried about your friend, while you are trying to take care of Janine’s admission.
What is the main ethical issue that is presented in the scenario? Is it a dilemma and why?
What are the ethical principles that might be involved and why? What ethical theory best applies to the situation and why?
Explain which CNO value(s) and commitments is/are involved in this case study and why?
Explain which CNA value(s) is/are involved in this case study and why?
Is there any legislation (law) that exists related to the chosen scenario that can aid in the decision making regarding this case? If so outline the legislation and how it is applied. The law may have limitations or exemptions to discuss. You will need to research this element independently.
Using either the Nursing Process as a framework (as outlined in the CNO Practice Standard) or the Decision making Process listed on p. 96, Ross-Kerr & Wood (200(9)(Box 8-5) examine the ethical situation described. Other relevant steps identified in the literature may supplement your analysis of the ethical issue.
Where possible support your course of action with appropriate references/resources.
Decide on the best course of action based on your analysis and research and describe it. How would you carry out the implementation of the plan? How would the success of the plan be evaluated?
Provide an individual reflective summary (LEARN), including how you felt throughout the process? Was your value system questioned or tested as you worked through the process? Did you feel comfortable with the proposed solution to the case study? How would you approach this situation in the future? (When answering this question ONLY, you may do so using the first person ex. I felt…).
Explanation / Answer
Answer: The main ethical issue is involved with matter as jennie is your client and whatever is her medical status you have to keep the matter privacy. It's totally a decision of patient whom she wants to share her medical status. You as a health care member not even allowed to discussed the case with your family members. Through the case you have keep the entire matter confidentiality.
The situation of dilemma is their because your personal relation i.e your best friend is involved with your client but currently you have to be loyal to your client as the priority is jennie at this situation.
CNO value which is involved in the above case is Undestanding the personal health Information protection act which totally states that according to nurse-client relation each treatment method or reports should be maintain privacy and confindentially of the matter should be the priority.
While dealing the case the entire situation will be difficult for you but at the end of the day you have to choose the path of ethical guidlines and do what is correct for your client, as it is solely a health care person responsibility to keep the patient mental state in healthy situation. The person trust on the health care should be maintained through out the trial.
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