ETHICAL PRINCIPLE APPLICATION

ETHICAL PRINCIPLE APPLICATION

Response to Mr. Newcomb’s Request

When Mr. Newcomb asked me to lie to his wife, Mrs. Newcomb, so he could see his mistress one last time before dying I was initially taken back. Knowing that Mr. Newcomb is cheating on Mrs. Newcomb makes me very uncomfortable, but I have to separate my personal views from my professional obligation. My response to Mr. Newcomb’s request would be that I will not lie to his Mrs. Newcomb, but I will not tell her either. I would suggest to him to give Mrs. Newcomb a task that he needs done, such as picking up groceries or treat her to getting her nails done, so that she does not come to the hospital during his visit with his mistress.

A2: Principles of Beneficence, Non-maleficence, Autonomy, and Justice

I have applied beneficence by treating Mr. Newcomb with mercy and showing him that his request can be respected. Non-maleficence has been applied by not telling Mrs. Newcomb about Mr. Newcomb’s mistress. Mr. Newcomb has autonomy by making the decision to see his mistress without the interference from me. I do not feel it be right for me to use my personal beliefs or close relationship with Mr. Newcomb to advise him, I am using justice by treating him the way that I would any other patient.

A3: Influence of Personal Beliefs and Values

I am very comfortable with my personal beliefs and feel that I have strong values for myself. I think that under no circumstance is cheating on your partner something that is acceptable. I also think that as a nurse I am there to heal and care for my patients, not push my personal values on them. I would love to tell Mr. Newcomb how what he is doing is wrong, but I would not cross the line with my close relationship with him over my obligation to treat him with respect, dignity, and allow him to have his own personal beliefs and values. If this was something that was against hospital policy or a threat to himself or others, I would have reacted to the situation differently. Just because I do not agree with what Mr. Newcomb is doing, it is not breaking any hospital rules or illegal.

A4: Three Strategies to Promote Self-care

I truly believe that in order to take care of anyone else you need to first take care of yourself. My first strategy to promote self-care is exercising. I try run 3 miles every day that I am off. I find that this is a great stress reliever, as well as good physical activity. My second strategy to promote self-care is to take a long hot shower every night before bed. This is something that I look forward to after a long day. It is very calming for me to listen to the sound of the water and breath in the steam, it allows me to clear my head before going to bed. My last strategy that I like to do to promote self-care is treat myself to a deluxe pedicure every two weeks. This is my time to get pampered, drink a glass of wine, and relax.