A 16-year-old involved in a motor vehicle accident is brought via ambulance to t
ID: 90735 • Letter: A
Question
A 16-year-old involved in a motor vehicle accident is brought via ambulance to the emergency room you work at. She needs an emergency blood transfusion. Her mother, a devout Jehovah's Witness, refuses to give permission for her daughter to receive blood products because it goes against her faith.
As a culturally and religiously sensitive nurse, how might you explain to this mother why her daughter needs blood?
What are the ethical issues raised by the mother refusing blood products for her daughter?
If the mother continued to refuse to allow her daughter to receive blood products, as a provider, what would you do?
Explanation / Answer
Answer:
Based on the given information:
A 16-year-old needs an emergency blood transfusion. Her mother, a devout Jehovah's Witness, refuses to give permission for her daughter to receive blood products because it goes against her faith.
Q: As a culturally and religiously sensitive nurse, how might you explain to this mother why her daughter needs blood?
Q: What are the ethical issues raised by the mother refusing blood products for her daughter?
Q: If the mother continued to refuse to allow her daughter to receive blood products, as a provider, what would you do?
Considering that there is a signficant population of Jehovah's Witnesses in the United States, Medical practioners have developed special practices and procedures that is specific for this group of patients. Nurse can explain the other alternative medical procedures that are allowed or not strictly prohibited in their doctrine of religion. For example if a specific component of blood can be used to improve her daughters condition instead of the whole blood, then that specific procedure should be explained or determine if bloodless surgery technique can be performed.
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