I don't want you to DO my paper for me...but

Hi there!

I am trying to work on an Ethics paper for one of my nursing classes. My brain is mush right now and I am really having a hard time with this paper.

It is due a week from now, and I have done probably 6-7 hours of research alone! And I still don't have a real topic yet (it is true!) I was searching through nursing journals (have to have several scholarly sources) to try to find a topic that I can relate to.

My interests lie with the Geriatric population and long term care. But I do NOT want to do right to die issues and I don't want to do restraints. Those subjects have bored me to tears and I think half the class are using those topics.

I am looking toward something like mandatory overtime and stuff like that. It needs to be an Ethical topic that relates to nursing.

Would that work???

I mean, IS mandatory overtime an ETHICAL issue? I thought I could write the paper from the staff nurse point of view (maybe caring for patient vs. caring for self AND quality of patient care during forced overtime) AND the nurse manager view of what exactly to do to staff the unit (is that an ethical issue---I mean, I would think that it would truly suck to have to harrass people into staying and threatening with abandonment??? BUT what do you do otherwise besides/ in addition to staying yourself?)

ANY ideas are appreciated. I feel bad for coming on here to toss around my idea for help. I hope nobody minds. Thanks a bunch!

:kiss

[nursejenrad]

Hello LPN to BSN,

Are you in Colorado? I am in CO at UOP in the LPN to BSN.

If you are, let me know. I'm trying to find someone behind me who is interested in buying my books.

I did the Ethics paper to last year, I am trying to remember what I did it on. Let me think and I can let you know.

Jennifer

[mattsmom81]

If the topic is ethical topics in geriatrics it sounds like they may want you to address the patient's ethical concerns vs the nurse. Maybe I'm misunderstanding you.

How about about elder abuse issues and the nurses' ethical and legal duty to report? Or the new HIPAA issues?

Good luck with your paper! :)

[passing thru]

For ideas, you could call or visit the ethics officer or his/her secretary and ask them what was their ten most recent

ethics problems. The ethics committee ususally meets monthly to determine/resolve ethics problems/issues.

That would give you something current to choose from. Or ask the secretary to check the minutes of the last couple months--they won't give you specifics , of course-- but they could give you the "ethics problem".....(usually a real-life situation that presented in the hospital. )

A current "actual" ethics dilemma and your views on it should be good for an A.

You have to argue/debate both sides of the problem, up to the very last....explain what actually makes this an "ethics" problem --as opposed to a moral problem. After presenting 2-3 or 4 sides to the issue, then make a decision on how you would handle it. Then list why you decided the way that you did.(Support your argument.)

The study of ethics is fascinating stuff. It is in the realm /rarefied air of old philosophers/old Greeks/great minds. It really challenges us and ethics is usually tossed out in business in favor of financial economy.

[Agnus]

Originally posted by LPNtoBSNstudent

the nurse manager view of what exactly to do to staff the unit (is that an ethical issue---I mean, I would think that it would truly suck to have to harrass people into staying and threatening with abandonment??? BUT what do you do otherwise besides/ in addition to staying yourself?)

ANY ideas are appreciated. I feel bad for coming on here to toss around my idea for help. I hope nobody minds. Thanks a bunch!

:kiss

Yes, you just described very well an ethical delima. Forcing manditory over time versus lack of adaquate staffing versus staying yourself.

You have a three way delimia here. Often and usually, by definition, a delima is when you have only two choices in solving a problem and both are equally undesirable. Here you have another choice but they are still equally undesirable.

Congratulations!

[llg, PhD, RN]

I, too, like the idea of you approaching it (short staffing issues) from the manager's point of view. It will force you to think from a perspective you may not have explored before. Don't forget -- if you do it from the manager's point-of-view, that the need for additional staffing is not a one-time event. It's probably a regular occurrance and you (the manager) probably has to face this dilemma regularly. Also, remember to include that you already work a typical 50-hour workweek, but only get paid for 40 hours (regular pay, NOT overtime) no matter how many hours you work. That's the reality of the situation for most managers.

Lots of common, boring paper topics can be made more interesting by viewing them from a different perspective.

Good luck,

llg

[APMRN1997]

How about elders and nutrition? If they cannot eat, should you put a feeding tube in?

[WashYaHands]

You could introduce the principles of ethics, respect for autonomy, nonmaleficience (do no harm), beneficence (benefit the pt.), and justice (fairness) and explain how mandatory OT and/or nurse:patient ratios effect these principles.

Best of luck to you,

Linda

[ceecel.dee, MSN, RN]

How about a patient's right to refuse? Should you crush meds and sneak them into the patients applesause or mashed potatoes after he has told you he would take them? If he clamps his mouth shut, should you dissolve them and squirt them in with a syringe? Does dementia matter in these situations?

Really, the ethical situations go on and on...it IS hard to pick a topic!

Good Luck!

[LPNtoBSNstudent, BSN, RN]

Hi everyone and thank you for your input! I really like the idea of exploring managerial type ethics problems, since I feel I would learn more doing a subject like that (no experience with it!). The topic doesn't have to be geriatrics or long term care, I just posted that that is where my interests lie. Thank you all for your input. I have to find a bunch of references on the subject, so if I don't find enough on staffing/managerial ethics, then I am going to do the tube feeding one I think.

Again, thank a lot!

ps. I am not in colorado

[BadBird, BSN, RN]

How about the patients right to know their diagnosis and outcome, it seems like so many patients just don't know because families don't want to worry them, but they know they aren't being told the truth.

[ktwlpn, LPN]

Originally posted by LPNtoBSNstudent

Hi everyone and thank you for your input! I really like the idea of exploring managerial type ethics problems, since I feel I would learn more doing a subject like that (no experience with it!). The topic doesn't have to be geriatrics or long term care, I just posted that that is where my interests lie. Thank you all for your input. I have to find a bunch of references on the subject, so if I don't find enough on staffing/managerial ethics, then I am going to do the tube feeding one I think.

Again, thank a lot!

ps. I am not in colorado

If you start on the tube feed or not you are going to proceed right into living wills-the right to die with dignity ...laws vary from state to state regarding living wills and they are really open to interpretation(if the doc feels that you are not terminal then he will persuade your family to override your will-even if you are end-stage Alzheimer's and suffering your 3rd aspiration pneumonia in 2 months)THis subject has been (pardon my pun) done to death...I would love to hear more about nurse managers and staffing issues-It looks like an ethical dilema to me-I would love to know how many have resigned a position because they disagreed with their administration regarding staffing? Good luck