Need a good explaination of "Ethical Delimma"

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Aug 28, 2008

Found several explanations of this on the Internet. Here's one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_dilemma - "a situation that will often involve an apparent conflict between moral imperatives, in which to obey one would result in transgressing another."

RNnTrainin' · Aug 28, 2008

I found the ones on the internet, but I guess I was looking for something in "easy" terms. I am trying to put all of this stuff into my own words. That seems to be easier for me to understand when studying. Thanks for the quick reply earlier!!!

Gradin2010 · Aug 29, 2008

I think an "Ethical Delimma" would be when your own moral ethics and beliefs conflict with something your doing or someone you're taking care of.

Here is an example that was thrown around in my class. It's just an example and I know that as nurses we should be objective and care for our clients without regard to our own personal biases. I'm not trying to start a debate, I'm just repeating what was said in class . . .

Say you're a nurse who is strongly apposed to abortion and you are supposed to take care of a sixteen year old girl who just had or is going to have an abortion. There is your delimma.

At least this is how I understand it.

mommy_whitney · Aug 29, 2008

The abortion issue is a good example, and probably one that is common. Another common one is when a patient has certain religious beleifs that interfere with or influence care and you don't agree. Basically anything that changes the way you look at the patient and the care you give on a personal level because of your beliefs and possibly the way they adversely relate to the patients ethics.

Pedi-Gree, BSN, RN · Aug 29, 2008

Here's an example: 20 something year old man with congenital heart disease who has had multiple surgeries and a lifetime of limitations, very vocally opposed to heart transplantation for himself if the need were to arise. Has a gradual decline in cardiac function and is hospitalized. Tells anyone who would listen that he didn't want a transplant under any circumstances. Condition worsens, he becomes critically ill and is intubated and sedated. Now is no longer able to consent and suddenly becomes a child again. Heart transplant is carried out on parents' request, patient unaware. Patient never recovers, and eventually dies after several weeks of futile, highly technical treatment. The dilemma: respect for autonomy, honesty, taking unfair advantage, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice. If you take part in any of the events that the patient specifically refused when he was conscious, you're violating one or more of these principles. Do you follow orders, or do you refuse on ethical grounds?

NICUplease · Aug 29, 2008

heres a quick one:

a father who works at a hospital as a janitor stole an experimental drug from the pharmacy for his daughter who is severely ill. He can not afford health care or medication. Should the hospital fire him and take legal action or should they "let it go" out of pity?

"An ethical dilemma (choice between to undesirable alternatives) occurs when individual values and laws conflict." (Timby p44)

HOPE THIS HELPS!

nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN · Aug 30, 2008

Here's one: You're a nurse in Germany, 1939. You are told to assist in the euthanization of infant "undesirables" such as the mentally ill and those with birth defects. In 1939, these children would likely have had short, tragic lives and would have died anyway. If you don't obey, you risk going to a concentration camp, along with your own children. If you obey, you're murdering a helpless child.

That's it to me. You do the right thing, you're going to pay a temporal price(jail, execution, exile). You do the wrong thing, you pay a spiritual price.