How can the ANA Code of Ethics be used to do ethics in this instance?
1. Ethical Dilemma:
The ethical dilemma we choose to address is when patients who are clearly deteriorating despite current measures being done are still kept on full code (CPR).
2. Why did your group choose this particular ethical dilemma?
We chose this ethical dilemma because so many people in our group ended up speaking up about similar experiences to this, thus indicating that this must be a common dilemma among nurses. This also becomes a problem of quality versus quantity for patients as patients in this scenarios are often not living a good quality life. A couple of people in our group shared how this situation can be vividly be seen in patient’s who are considered “brain dead” yet their family or DPOA are insistent in keeping them on full code with hopes that the patient recovers.
3. What is your plan to address it in the workplace?
– Speak with your charge RN and express the concerns to him/her with hopes of helping escalate it to the doctors
– Start that conversation with the doctor/provider as it has to be the doctor who changes the patient’s code status
Resources:
– Offer the patient to speak with spiritual health/chaplain
– Utilizing code description sheets when doing some education with patient/family to start that conversation
