Today our topic of discussion is Ethical Decision Making.
Ethical decision making
Nurse’s decisions are increasingly constrained by ethical issues. Ethical decision making involves reflection on the following:
- Who should make the choice?
- Possible options or courses of action
- Available options
- Rules, obligations and values that should direct choices and
- Consequences, both good and bad, of all possible options
- Desired outcomes.
When making decisions, nurses need to combine all of these elements using an orderly, systematic, and objective method. There are various models for ethical decision making. Perhaps the easiest ethical decision making model to remember and to implement in practice is the “moral model” developed by Thirona and Halloraw as follows:
M-Massage the dilemma. Identify and define the issues in the dilemma. Consider the opinions of all major players in the dilemma as well as their value system. This includes patient’s family members, nurses, doctors, priest and any other interdisciplinary healthcare team member.
0-Outline the options. Examine all options including those less realistic and conflicting this stage is designed only for considering options and not for making final
R-Resolve the dilemma. Review the issues and options applying the basic principles of ethics to each option. Decide the best option based upon the views of all those concerned in the dilemma.
A-Act by applying chosen action. This step is usually Need to balance the patients need for confidentiality the most difficult as it requires actual implementation While the previous steps had only allowed for dialogue or discussion.
L-Look back and evaluate. The entire process including the implementation.No process is complete without a thorough evaluation.
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