If a nurse follows an order that is intended to kill a patient, how can she possibly be covered legally? Specialties Geriatric Article
I have a question, or a scenario rather that I have recently come across.
Recently at work, I had a hospice patient who was unresponsive with respiration between 7-8 bpm with long periods of apnea. Resident was thought to be in the "active" dying processes and had a order from hospice was to give morphine every two hours. I held the morphine due to hypo-ventilation and decreased LOC and notified the MD.
MD asked if he was in pain and I said there was nothing to suggest he was and that I was going to hold the medication. Fast forward several hours and the hospice nurse came to check the patient. I notified her that the morphine was held. She told me I need to give it anyways.
When I said that I was withholding it due to the risk of resp arrest. She said "that's kinda the point. He wants to die." And insisted that I must give the medication. She said that hospice could write an order to cover giving the medication regardless of resp rate.
Is this ethical?
If a nurse follows an order that is intended to kill a patient, how can she possibly be covered legally?
Hospice is not assisted suicide and if it is not explicitly for pain control, I will not give a lethal dose of morphine to hasten the dying processes.
My question to you guys is, do I have rights?
I should not be forced to do something illegal and immoral against my will. She took down my name and I think she is going to complain but I am stunned that she really thinks it is our job to medicate these patients into the grave.
I am not in the habit of assisting suicide or causing the death of another person. Am I too emotional about this situation or does this seem reasonable to you guys??