WISDOM WITH CARE

Wisdom and Care:  Decision Outcome Debates

Before we discuss this last unit’s material for this class, I wanted to apologize again for the inadequate Mind Map diagram posted in the last blog. We were able to visualize this diagram, and discuss it, in class but our Blog diagram needed help.

This last unit is we will be observing several teams’ decision outcome debates. Debate offers us the opportunity to research a topic in depth; promote our analytical thought processes; exercise our oral communication; articulate our professional opinions; encourage interaction between us; and increase our awareness of differing viewpoints (Bradshaw and Lowenstein, 2011).   Please be mindful of the time and consideration each member of our class has put in to developing their decision outcome.  Please use respectful communication when discussing points of views and decisions that are not the same as yours.

 Several of you submitted excellent ideas regarding learning activities that could enrich our course content.  We are now looking into a virtual world classroom for the development of a moral dynamics model and the space to observe the debates.  It may take another semester or two for set up but it is in motion! Thank you.

Deb P.

Bradshaw, M. J., & Lowenstein, A. J. (2011).  Innovative teaching strategies in nursing and related health professions (5th ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett.

Moral Dynamics Model

                                                                Moral Dynamics Model


Objective//////Subjective Knowledge--------Wisdom With Care-------Decision Outcome

Medical             Empathy    
Indicator

Joint Moral      Health Team Member
Agency

Objectivity       Persons Data

Foley, S. (1997).  A model for conceptualizing the moral dynamic in health care.  Nursing Ethics  4(6), 483-495.

When ethical principles seem at odds and an ethical decision needs to be made with the objective factors and subjective factors analyzed, a decision model is needed.

This is a better late than never post...Jan 30th

This post for our Unit one needs was inadvertantly posted in comments.

We all have the "What's Your Learning Style" by Marsha O'Connor this week. It will become more important to recognize your learning styles when we get into role playing and debates in later weeks. Don't forget to read chapters 1 &2 in your books and answer particapte in the class discussion board.
Deb P.

(c) Marcia L. Conner, 1993-2008. All rights reserved.
See the latest assessment at http://www.agelesslearner.com/assess/learningstyle.html

Survey Monkey. Ethical Dilemma/Dilemma Decision

For this last week please take the one question survey at Survey Monkey.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SDGSGQH

Before you take the survey, think about the last time an ethical dilemma presented itself at work.  It doesn't have to be a big dilemma.  What was the dilemma?  What were the ethical principles involved? Was there a decision made about the dilemma? Was it a decision that was analyzed?

TWELVE ANGRY MEN

Unit 5  TWELVE ANGRY MEN

This is the week we will be viewing the 1957 movie, "Twelve Angry Men".  This movie is an intense 96 minutes of ethical dilemmas. It involves a jury of 12 men who must decide the fate of a young man on trial for a violent murder. The trial and young man are not seen, it all evolves around the decision making process of the 12 men.  It would be fun to try and apply a moral dynamic model process to the objective and subjective knowledge about the case.  In fact, after seeing the movie, or having seen the movie do you remember any particular scene or behavior that objectively looked at the facts? How about a subjective scene or behavior?

UNIT FOUR: FOLLOWUP POST

Respect for Autonomy:  The right of determination or free will of the patient.  Sometimes it comes in conflict with Beneficence as the patient may choose a course of medical action that may seemingly cause harm to him. The patient may choose to withdraw from medical treatment (Kennedy, 2004). Respecting is upholding the patient’s right of autonomy.  

Beneficence:  The quality of being kind or doing good.  To try and prevent harm, protect the patient, and defend the patient’s rights. It is patient focused not professionally focused (Kennedy, 2004).  

Sometimes we are placed in ethical binds or dilemmas.  Our ethical code of not assisting suicide comes smack up against respecting the right of an individual  choosing to withdraw from medical treatment.  At these times a personal moral dynamics model will help in the decision making process (Foley, 1997).

 

UNIT FOUR ASSISTED SUICIDE

 Patient assisted suicide is against the American Nurse's Associaiton (ANA) Code of Ethics.  The nurse’s role is to comfort, to seek means to open communication, to address pain management, and to advocate for the patient. In the situation of terminal illness or imminent death the nurse’s role is not to hasten the death process, it is to diminish the pain and suffering components of the death process. The role is to create an environment of health in the death process.   An environment of health in the death process is directly related to actively embracing the moral principles of respect of autonomy, beneficence, and human dignity. Embracing moral principles is necessary for the nurse to be able to make ethical choices ("American Nurses Association", 2012).   

Have you ever had a patient or family situation where you need to establish this professional boundary and teach them your role in the death process of the terminally ill patient?

"American Nurses Association" (2012).  Code of ethics. Retrieved from http://nursingworld.org/codeofethics