Legal and Ethical Conduct Discussion

Discussion: Legal and Ethical Conduct
As emphasized in this weeks media presentation, all nurses need to be familiar with the laws and regulations that govern their practice: their states Nurse Practice Act, ANAs Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, specialty group standards of practice, etc. In addition, basic ethical principles guide nurses decision-making process every day. ANAs Code of Ethics and ANAs Social Policy Statement are two important documents that outline nurses ethical responsibilities to their patients, themselves, and their profession. This said, there is a dilemma: The laws are not always compatible with the ethical positions nurses sometimes take. This weeks Discussion focuses on such a dilemma.
To prepare:
Review this weeks Learning Resources, focusing on the information in the media presentation about the relationship between the law and ethics.
Consider the ethical responsibility of nurses in ensuring patient autonomy, beneficence, non-malfeasance, and justice.
Read the following scenario:
 
Lena is a community health care nurse who works exclusively with HIV-positive and AIDS patients. As a part of her job, she evaluates new cases and reviews confidential information about these patients. In the course of one of these reviews, Lena learns that her sisters boyfriend has tested HIV positive. Lena would like to protect her sister from harm and begins to consider how her sister can find out about her boyfriends health status.
Consult at least two resources to help you establish Lenas legal and ethical position. These resources might include your states Nurse Practice Act, the ANAs Code of Ethics, ANAs Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, and internal or external standards of care.
Consider what action you would take if you were Lena and why.
Determine whether the law and the ANAs standards support or conflict with that action.
 
Post a description of the actions you would take in this situation, and why. Justify these actions by referencing appropriate laws, ethical standards, and professional guidelines.
 
 
 
Required Readings
Milstead, J. A. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurses guide (6th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Chapter 4, Government Response: Regulation (pp. 56-81)
This chapter explains the major concepts of the regulation of health professionals, with emphasis on advanced practice nurses (APN) and the process of licensure and credentialing.
ANAs Foundation of Nursing Package – (Access this resource from the Walden Library databases through your NURS 6050 Course Readings List)
Guide to the Code of Ethics: Interpretation and Application
 
This guide details the history, purpose and theory, application, and case studies of this must-have Code of Ethics.
Nursing Social Policy Statement
 
The Nursing Social Policy Statement provides an understanding of the social framework and obligations of the nursing profession.
Nursing: Scope