Say a nurse had personal knowledge that a Dr. who is going to be doing a very complicated surgery really has poor results and doesn't yield an acceptable result with the surgery. The surgery is NOT an urgent one, it is an optional surgery. Should the nurse say anything to patient or keep his or her mouth shut and let the patient suffer the result of the surgery?
What are your thoughts?
FYI, just a beginning nursing student, with a purely hypothetical question.
I am grateful that the nurse stepped up on behalf of your uncle, but I think you are comparing apples to oranges.
Your uncle's nurse did not attempt to prevent your uncle from having his chosen surgeon perform a procedure. She suggested adding another specialist who could help with symptom management.
As I understand the OP, she is considering destroying the patient-surgeon relationship, which I believe to be unethical.
In NO way am I considering doing anything, as I mentioned this is a purely hypothetical question. And on my uncles behalf, I can assure you that his surgery was botched and he does wish someone had stepped up to the plate before he let the surgeon perform the surgery, but that is really not the point.
If you are a family member with no provider-patient relationship, say whatever you want. The worst that can happen is dis-inheritence and a possible slander suit.
If you are involved professionally in the care of this non-existent, hypothetical patient and value your reputation, job, license and ability to practice nursing, best to keep your thoughts to yourself.
If you have a legitimate concern about the physician's fitness to practice medicine, the proper places to direct that concern would be the hospital credentials committee, the state board of medicine and local law enforcement, if there is a question of illegal activity.
If you are a family member with no provider-patient relationship, say whatever you want. The worst that can happen is dis-inheritence and a possible slander suit.
If you are involved professionally in the care of this non-existent, hypothetical patient and value your reputation, job, license and ability to practice nursing, best to keep your thoughts to yourself.
If you have a legitimate concern about the physician's fitness to practice medicine, the proper places to direct that concern would be the hospital credentials committee, the state board of medicine and local law enforcement, if there is a question of illegal activity.
Hope Mr./Mrs. Hypothetical feels better.
Yep, Hypothetical. And thanks for the interesting hypothetical discussion! FYI My uncles case is merely the springboard for this mode of questioning and discussion, no need to get all serious, do you mean this thought has never crossed anyones mind? Am I to be th first with this kind of hypothetical question? Eh, I'll ask my instructors the hypothetical question, cause I am sure they know the meaning of the word.
Really, the ONLY question you need to ask yourself as a nurse and advocate is "is the patient INFORMED."
Considering that the surgery is legal (we aren't removing someone's kidney for the black market here I hope), your job as a pt advocate is to ensure that your pt is informed of all the possible outcomes, risks, benefits, potentials, facts, etc. This MAY involve a recommendation to seek a 2nd opinion. You would be able to find out if that was necessary from a dialogue with your nurse manager, charge nurse, and/or your hospitals ethics committee (if you are lucky enough to have one). Your state's board of nursing is an excellent resource for dilemmas, which I have had to utilize from time to time in my 5 years on the job. They will actually give you very straight forward direction as to how to go about handling each particualr situation according to state laws, etc.
We lose the hypothetical aspect of this thread once you have personalized the patient as your family member.
We wish you the best but perhaps this isn't the place to get this type of advice? I hope your uncle is doing better now.
True, My mistake of bringing a family member to the discussion, but truly it was the springboard for the line of thought. I am only starting clinicals this fall, and a few experiences in life have lead me to this question.
Thanks, my uncle is finally doing better, can you believe what can happen from an untreated tooth abscess? Yup, osteomyelitis, stuff I'd only heard about previously in micro.
Really, the ONLY question you need to ask yourself as a nurse and advocate is "is the patient INFORMED."
Considering that the surgery is legal (we aren't removing someone's kidney for the black market here I hope), your job as a pt advocate is to ensure that your pt is informed of all the possible outcomes, risks, benefits, potentials, facts, etc. This MAY involve a recommendation to seek a 2nd opinion. You would be able to find out if that was necessary from a dialogue with your nurse manager, charge nurse, and/or your hospitals ethics committee (if you are lucky enough to have one). Your state's board of nursing is an excellent resource for dilemmas, which I have had to utilize from time to time in my 5 years on the job. They will actually give you very straight forward direction as to how to go about handling each particualr situation according to state laws, etc.
FYI My uncles case is merely the springboard for this mode of questioning and discussion, no need to get all serious, do you mean this thought has never crossed anyones mind? Am I to be th first with this kind of hypothetical question? Eh, I'll ask my instructors the hypothetical question, cause I am sure they know the meaning of the word.
hopefornursing
87 Posts
In NO way am I considering doing anything, as I mentioned this is a purely hypothetical question. And on my uncles behalf, I can assure you that his surgery was botched and he does wish someone had stepped up to the plate before he let the surgeon perform the surgery, but that is really not the point.