Medical Responsibility by B.Lassale, Article Critique Example

Summary

This article outlines the legal/ethical role and responsibility of medical personnel when transfusing blood. The author posits that blood transfusion is an act which enforces health care practitioners’ accountability for their intervention when administering such care. Precisely, the argument is that patients ought to be given correct information regarding the type of blood they would be receiving; the age of the blood; and acquiring consent after authentic information is offered (Lassale, 2008)

Doctors are cautioned to write appropriate prescriptions that would ensure patients’ safety during and after transfusions since many complications or even death can occur when errors are encountered during the process.Lassale (2008) further emphasized that there must be a balance in the ‘beneficence and risk of therapy’ to ensure that patients do not suffer unduly through misinformation or inaccuracies during transfusion. Nurses were particularly cautioned to be vigilant towards their responsibility when setting up transfusions on patients.

Ethical dilemma and effect on nursing practice

This article exposes many predisposing factors, which can implicate nurses during their patient care intervention. On many occasions ethical legal issues impinge on patients’ refusal of blood transfusion due to religions reasons. Lassale (2008) goes beyond such frivolity to discuss how healthcare violates ethical standards by offering misinformation; no information or inaccurate information to patients who do consent to having the transfusion(Lassale, 2008).

Herein lays the ethical dilemma. With reference to Joan Sawyer’s (1984) model, case 1 appears to be the closet dilemma whereby, ‘nurses must decide what level of care represents beneficence, or “doing good”(Sawyer, 1984).Therefore, even those the writer was referring to neonates in this case it is very applicable to blood transfusions. Relating to patients what type of blood they would be having; whether it is new; old or maybe contaminated is expressing beneficence in nursing practice.

Again to contradict doctors’ orders is critical to nursing intervention for favorable outcomes. It is always best that the health care team cooperate and collaborate towards full recovery of patients under their care. As such, health care teams must demonstrate ethical integrity at all levels to all categories of patients irrespective of the situation. The implication for transparent nursing practice lay in speaking the truth to patients when doctors want to hide it for their own ulterior motive or financial gains of the healthcare system.

Ethical resolutions

The nurse can either speak the truth and stand a chance of being fired or continue to compromise ethics integrity and go along with the rest of healthcare team. Ultimately, patients can sue the healthcare system and the nurse could become liable for malpractice when the truth is exposed. Therefore, in the best interest of legality pertaining to ethical standards, be strong enough to abide by integrity within profound supportive nursing service organizational representation.

Conclusion

The foregoing discussion projected legal ethical issues facing nurses daily in their effort to operate from the standpoint of social justice and patient autonomy. Two very sensitive areas regarding organ donation and blood transfusion were presented utilizing two journal articles. Recommendations are that nurses stand on ethical integrity with a strong supportive professional organizing advocating justice and patience autonomy.

References

Lassale B. (2008). Medical Responsibility. TransFus Clini-Biol.15 (5): 303-306.

Quinlan, J and Quinlan, J. D. (1977). Karen Ann: The Quinlans Tell Their Story. New York: Bantam Books.

Sawyer Joan (1984) Code Grey: Ethical Dilemma in Nursing: Documentary.

Valko Nancy (2002). Ethical Implications of non-heart beating organ donation: Medicine and Morality Voices- Michaelmas. Volume XVII, No.3