Nursing Practice, Ethics, Healthcare, Political Activism, and Challenges

Chapter 6: Nursing as a Regulated Practice: Legal Issues

  • Model Nursing Practice Act Components: Outlines the scope and standards of nursing practice.
  • State Boards of Nursing Authority:
    • They have the power to license and discipline nurses.
  • Malpractice Conditions:
    • Duty: A nurse-patient relationship exists.
    • Breach of Duty: Failure to meet standards of care.
    • Causation: The breach of duty directly caused harm.
    • Damages: Actual harm or injury occurred.
  • Nursing Responsibilities:
    • Delegation: Appropriately assigning tasks to qualified individuals.
    • Informed Consent: Ensuring patients understand and agree to treatment.
    • Confidentiality: Protecting patient information.
  • Professional Boundaries: Nurses must maintain professional boundaries, including on social media.
  • Protecting Patients and Self: By following standards of care, nurses can protect patients and avoid legal issues.

Chapter 7: Ethics: Basic Concepts for Professional Nursing Practice

  • Values, Morals, Ethics, and Bioethics:
    • Values: Personal beliefs about worth.
    • Morals: Principles of right and wrong.
    • Ethics: Formal study of moral principles.
    • Bioethics: Application of ethics to healthcare.
  • Moral Reasoning:
    • Kohlberg: Focuses on justice and rules.
    • Gilligan: Emphasizes care and relationships.
  • Normative Ethical Theories:
    • Utilitarianism: Maximizing overall happiness.
    • Deontology: Following moral duties and rules.
    • Virtue Ethics: Emphasizing moral character.
  • Basic Ethical Principles:
    • Autonomy: Respecting patient's self-determination.
    • Beneficence: Doing good.
    • Non-maleficence: Avoiding harm.
    • Justice: Fairness in distributing resources.
    • Fidelity: Keeping promises.
    • Veracity: Telling the truth.
  • Justice in Healthcare: Fair allocation of healthcare resources.
  • Code of Ethics: Provides ethical standards for nursing practice.
  • Professional vs. Personal Ethics: Professional ethics override personal ethics in professional settings.
  • Ethical Dilemmas: Conflicts between patients, healthcare professionals, families, and institutions.
  • Ethical Decision-Making Model: A structured approach to resolving ethical dilemmas.
  • Sociocultural Challenges: Social media and substance abuse can challenge ethical behavior.
  • Ethical Issues in Immigration and Migration: Addressing healthcare disparities among immigrant populations.
  • Moral Distress: Occurs when nurses feel unable to act ethically.
  • Moral Courage: Using the CODE Moral Courage Model to address moral distress.

Chapter 14: Healthcare in the United States

  • Categories of Healthcare Services:
    • Preventive, acute, chronic, and restorative care.
  • Shared Governance Model: Nurses participate in decision-making.
  • Quality Maintenance Mechanisms: Accreditation and peer review.
  • Healthcare Disparities: Disproportionately affect minority and poor populations.
  • Interprofessional Healthcare Team: Physicians, nurses, therapists, social workers, etc.
  • Economic Principles:
    • Supply and Demand: Affects healthcare costs.
    • Free-Market Economies: Influence healthcare delivery.
    • Price Sensitivity: Patients' responsiveness to healthcare costs.
  • Payment Methods: Fee-for-service, capitation, etc.
  • Universal Healthcare: A potential outcome of healthcare reform.

Chapter 15: Political Activism in Nursing: Communities, Organizations, and Government

  • Politics vs. Policy:
    • Politics: The process of influencing decisions.
    • Policy: The outcomes of political processes.
  • Professional Associations: Promote the profession and provide resources.
  • Associations' Role: Advocate for nurses and advance the profession.
  • Leadership Opportunities: Associations offer leadership roles for students and nurses.
  • Personalizing the Political Process: Engaging with policymakers on a personal level.
  • Unionization Debate: Differing views on union representation for nurses.
  • Sources of Power: Personal and professional power.
  • Political Involvement: Nurses can be involved as citizens, activists, and politicians.
  • Organized Nursing's Role: Influencing health policy and strengthening the profession.

Chapter 16: Nursing’s Challenge: To Continue to Evolve

  • Major Challenges: Aging population, nursing shortage, technological advancements.
  • Protecting Nursing's Image: Promoting professionalism and positive representation.
  • Incivility Continuum: Addressing disrespectful behavior in the workplace.
  • Nursing's Role in Environmental Health: Promoting environmental sustainability.
  • ANA's Health System Reform Agenda:
    • Access to care, quality of care, cost containment, and workforce development.