from the ethics inbox

Addressing gun violence in America

After the latest mass shooting, my nurse colleague and I disagreed about what needs to be done to address gun violence. What guidance does the Code of Ethics…

Addressing suicide among nurses

In the hospital where I work, a medical error contributed to a patient’s death. Unfortunately, a nurse committed suicide after this tragic event. Our staff members weren’t immediately…
from the ethics inbox

Better readying students for practice

To: Ethics Advisory Board     From: Concerned nurse educator Subject: Academic and professional readiness I’m a nurse educator struggling with undergraduate students who are coming into our nursing program…

Considering profit priorities in healthcare

How is it ethical that healthcare systems are making multimillion dollar profits when funds remain desperately needed at the bedside and beyond? This article is available to American…
COVID-19 syndemic

Considering the COVID-19 syndemic

To: Ethics Advisory Board     From: An alarmed nurse Subject: Nursing’s responses to pandemic-fueled inequities I’m troubled that the COVID-19 pandemic has not only exposed but also worsened health…

Ethical challenges in enforcing dress codes

I’ve seen some backlash on social media after our organization issued a dress code policy that addressed hairstyle. I know policies that are restrictive for certain ethnicities aren’t…
standards of care

Ethics and crisis standards of care

To: Ethics Advisory Board From: Contingently confused Subject: Conventional, contingency, and crisis standards of care Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, I keep hearing about different levels of care. What…
ethics-box-consent-nurse-care

Informed consent for nursing care

I recently was asked to obtain a signed informed nursing consent before delivering prescribed care to a patient in an outpatient chemotherapy center. Is this form required in the…

Medical gaslighting: Why don’t you hear me?

In my time as a nurse, I’ve observed patients’ concerns being dismissed as nonconsequential or in their heads. I’ve found these patients to be sincere and quite clear…
Ethics

Nurse responsibility in advancing global health

To: Ethics Advisory Board From: Volunteer RN Subject: Global health outreach With the recent earthquake in Haiti and the devastation that country has experienced, I feel compelled to…

Nurse safety in the era of open notes

Patients now have access to clinical notes that show the full names of staff members involved in their care. Considering the level of violence against healthcare personnel and…

Prioritizing nurses’ well-being

I’m a new nurse manager and my team is burned out and fatigued. Many are concerned that this impacts their ability to provide optimal care. This article is…
protecting-privacy

Protecting privacy while supporting nurses

To: Ethics Advisory Board    From: Concerned emergency department clinical manager Subject: Patient/family privacy and nurses’ well-being   A patient was brought to our emergency department (ED) from home…

Responding during an active shooter situation

One of the hospitals in our system recently 
experienced an active shooter. The nursing 
staff reached out to our ethics team 
expressing concerns that our current training involving…
Social determinants of health and COVID-19

Social determinants of health and COVID-19

To: Ethics Advisory Board    From: Student nurse  Subject: Social determinants of health   I’m a nursing student, and my instructor has been talking about social determinants of…
Supporting patient's care goals

Supporting patients’ care goals

To: Ethics Advisory Board From: Nurse seeking clarification Subject: Nurses’ role in goals of care discussions At the organization where I work, I’ve been told that nursing staff…
The fallout from Covid-19 disbelief

The fallout from COVID-19 disbelief

To: Ethics Advisory Board From: A nurse in search of a better response Subject: Patients who refuse treatments because of COVID-19 skepticism I’ve witnessed a concerning number of…

Using large language models in nursing education

I’m a nurse educator and realize that artificial intelligence (AI) crossing over into the academic environment via ChatGPT and other chatbots affects how we frame the use of…
When advanced directives aren’t allowed

When advance directives aren’t allowed

To: Ethics Advisory Board From: A nurse seeking clarity Subject: Navigating patients’ wishes for their care at end-of-life Recently I’ve observed some of my patients’ end-of-life advance directives…

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