Anyone have any ideas for me?

[SNLiz]

I am taking my exit class right at the moment (5 1/2 weeks to go!) and we have to submit a position paper on an ethical issue in medicine. Other than the biggies-stem cell research, embryonic screening- I am having a hard time coming up with anything. I don't want to do what everyone else is-stem cell research, embryonic screening. ANyone have any ideas for a good paper? Thanks

[jade-athyst]

Cut off gestational age for trying to "save" preemies. There was a thread about that in the NICU forum recently that was very thought provoking.

Parents religous beliefs v.s. medical intervetion for chidren. For example, parents against vaccinations, or parents against blood transfusions, but the child is in critical need.

Allocation of resources, either in a critical situation (like during hurricaine Katrina), or in a more normal situation, ie: critical vaccine shortage.

Health care for illegal immigrants and their children.

Families having a new baby, and even genetically "designing" it, in hopes of a bone marrow donor for their sick child.

Using chilren in clinical drug trials.

These are just a few off the top of my head. I was trying to come up with something that half your class will be writing about. Hope it helps, good luck!

[PurrRN]

Over the summer I took a Ethics in Healthcare class which was pretty interesting. Some of the topics were:

Physician-Assisted Dying,

Assisted Reproduction,

Cloning and Eugenics,

Letting Impaired Newborns Die (nontreatment vs infanticide),

Research and Experimental Treatments,

Organ transplants (allocation vs availability),

Xenografts (organs of other species),

Involuntary Psychiatric Commitment, and

Reforming the American Medical System (basically, is every one entitled to healthcare?).

Hope this gives you a few ideas. Good luck!

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

What about the non-emergent treatment of illegal aliens and the costs involved?

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

How about religiosity of the healthcare provider v. religiosity of the patient resulting in transference and countertransference and the results on patient outcomes?

I could study this issue for a bazillion years and find it fascinating. In fact if I go on for grad school I can see myself doing a dissertation or thesis on this.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Here is some you will encounter regularly during your career.

1. The rights and responsibilities of the staff nurse to come in to work during a severe weather emergency (e.g. snowstorms, hurricanes, etc.)

2. Rights and responsibities related to staff shortages, mandatory overtime, etc.

3. The ethical issues surrounding people who sign a contract (e.g. to work for an employer in exchange for educational funding) with no intention of fulfilling their end of the deal unless they like the job offered?

etc.