Ethics in Nursing Scenario 3 To Feed or Not to Feed Mrs G is

Ethics in Nursing- Scenario #3

To Feed or Not to Feed?

         Mrs. G is a 84 y/o female admitted to the ICU at the county hospital where you work as the nurse manager. Mrs. G suffered a massive stroke rendering her to be vent-dependent and unconscious. Prior to the massive stroke, Mrs. G was an active older adult, involved in the community and her church. Through the course of three weeks, Mrs. G was weaned off the vent, and had a G-tube placement in preparation for Jevity enteric feeding. She is able to breathe on her own but non-verbal, is not able to follow simple commands but able to track and smile at times, especially when her husband shows up to visit.

Her husband, Mr. G is generally is physically very weak and experiencing extreme grief, over his wife’s post-stroke condition. A month later, Mrs. G’s condition has not changed and is now being transferred to a long term facility. Mr. G refuses and requested that the hospital staff make her a DNR and stop all nutrition and hydration. Mr. G stated that his wife wouldn’t want to live like this.

The medical, nursing, and social work staff have not previously experienced a situation quite like the one that is occurring with the G family.

Questions for discussion

What ethical principles are important in this case?
How would you use ethical theories to assist you to make a decision?
What should be done in this situation?
What helped you to decide?

Solution

The ethical principles important in this case are integrity and totality in order to make sure the patient is treated by the hospital in the best possible and try their best to save thei patient.

We can use these theories by making sure the nurses keep working and try to save the patient and not give up by removing feed and hydration as suggested by the husband.The most important part of ethics is to save the patient and not give up till the end. The person can revive even from the extreme cases so the treatment should continue in this situation.The ethics of work and giving 100% at work helped me to decide this.