Workshop Three Health Policy OP-ED, Essay Example

Lead: Nursing homes often create images of struggle and strife for many older adults. This experience requires nurses to exercise ethically responsible decision making at all times. The use of intravenous fluids requires nurses to prevent ethical issues when administering intravenous fluids and to prevent additional risk for patients (Horntvedt, Romoren, & Solvoll, 2014). Nurses possess a responsibility to their patients to prevent errors in administration and in treating patients with the knowledge that is required to improve wellbeing (Kim & Bates, 2013). Although older adults face critical issues and a high level of frailty, their needs should not be compromised by the careless actions of nurses in any context.

Focus and Elaboration: Nurses must provide support and proper treatment to their patients in order to prevent negative outcomes, thereby requiring nurses to be cautious with any type of intravenous fluid administration, including nutrition (Dorner et.al, 2011). Nurses working with patients who face the reality of dementia or other health concerns must also demonstrate their ability to make positive decisions on behalf of their patients, rather than to limit them by means of poor decision-making (Arcand, 2015). Nurses must be responsible and demonstrate a means of expanding knowledge and resources in working with patients who rely upon intravenous fluids as a form of survival. Their needs cannot be ignored by nurses, who possess an ethical responsibility to improve the lives of these patients with every single decision that is made.

Kicker: Nurses must act in a responsible manner towards patients with intravenous needs and make decisions in their best interests. This requires their full commitment to excellence in patient care administration and quality of care. When nurses do not act in this manner, they place their patients at risk, thereby placing their careers in jeopardy. Nurses who do not exercise ethical judgment in their actions related to IV administration may face disciplinary action and may invoke career suicide at the highest possible level.

References

Arcand, M. (2015). End-of-life issues in advanced dementia Part 2: management of poor nutritional intake, dehydration, and pneumonia. Canadian Family Physician, 61(4), 337-341.

Dorner, B., Posthauer, M. E., Friedrich, E. K., & Robinson, G. E. (2011). Enteral nutrition for older adults in nursing facilities. Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 26(3), 261-272.

Horntvedt, M. T., Romøren, M., & Solvoll, B. (2014). Ethical problems related to intravenous fluids in nursing homes. Nursing Ethics, 21(8), 890-901. doi:10.1177/0969733014521093

Kim, J., & Bates, D. W. (2013). Medication administration errors by nurses: adherence to guidelines. Journal of clinical nursing, 22(3-4), 590-598.