Business and Ethics (Essay Sample)

Ethical Dilemma
Name
Institution
Ethical Dilemma
Each day, nurses are subject to ethical dilemmas regardless of where they practice. Regardless of their nursing functions in their job descriptions, they are subject to making decisions that will have a great impact to not only them, but also their patients. Despite the complexity of the issue, scholars argue that there is no "correct" approach of solving the ethical dilemmas in nursing (Fant, 2013). The term ethical dilemma is defined as it is an issue that does not have a satisfactory resolution. The importance of an ethical decision-making rests in the fact that varied ethical choices with regards to the same ethical problem can be arrived in neither the choice being a "wrong or right" decision. On the other hand ethics involves causing no harm and doing "good" (Fant, 2013). The definition of what ethics is can vary from one nurse to the other. In this essay, I choose personal belief versus empirical knowledge as an ethical dilemma faced by the nursing profession. On describing the circumstance that surrounds this ethical, this paper will highlight the possible options available for resolving the ethical dilemma such as the right action to take. Also, by identifying and discussing the weaknesses and strengths related to the ethical decision-making and in integrity, this paper will also highlight the challenges that can be foreseen but could be prevent by upholding professional integrity in the future.
Ethical Dilemma: Personal Belief versus Empirical Knowledge
Personal belief versus empirical knowledge is an ethical dilemma that has dominated the nursing practice for the longest time in history. As far as these dilemmas are concerned the research based knowledge in nursing practice is in most cases contrasted to beliefs that have been gained from factors such as religious beliefs (Wood, 2014). For instance, what approach should a nurse take at a point when a patient is admitted to the medical facility and he or she is in desperate need of transfusion to live with the consideration that as a religious belief, transfusion is unacceptable? How does the nurse sympathize with the patient’s family who basically offers basic support to the patient and still supportive of family’s as well as patient’s right to this decision? (Fant, 2013).
Ways of Solving the Ethical Dilemma
Considering ethical implications aligned to this dilemma, there is need for the medical profession come up with approaches that will help in solving the dilemma (Wood, 2014). Among the various ways that can be used to navigate through such an ethical dilemma include; supporting the nursing code of ethics, offering ongoing education, creating an environment where nurses can speak up, bringing different disciplines together, providing ethics experts, adding unit-based ethics mentors, holding a family conference, reaching out to professional associations and offering employee counseling services (Wood, 2014). Among the above mentioned ways of navigating through the presented ethical dilemma, creating an environment where nurses can speak up is the most effective approach. Considering the fact that the nursing practices patients are less informed about the issues faced by nurses, the creation of a good understanding will help in relieving tensions in a dilemma.
Strengths and Weaknesses on the Approach
There are two strengths associated with creating an environment where nurses can speak up as an approach of navigating through the dilemma. Firstly, through this approach the patient is informed about the implications of a nursing practice hence effective in reducing conflict between the nurse and patient (Wood, 2014). Secondly, when an environment where nurses can speak up is created, a nurse is less burdened ...