Need assistance responding to peer Nurses have dealt with and continue to deal with moral distress o. Question
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Asked by SuperHumanWillpower11424
Need assistance responding to peer
Nurses have dealt with and continue to deal with moral distress on a daily basis. A lot of times nurses are challenged and they feel like their license is at risk when asked by doctors or someone in leadership to do something they feel is morally or ethically wrong. I myself have been faced with those types of dilemmas.
As I think back to when I was a bedside nurse, I can recall a time when I felt moral distress. It was when I was in the ICU and a patient had coded and the doctor wanted me to infuse Epinephrine at a rate that was higher than the required dosage. It was so high that the pump would not even let me physically put it in. The Pt was already on several pressors, it was so bad that he started to yell at me and said something outrageous, I looked at him and yelled back and said Listen to me I CANNOT put that dosage in there, one it is a dosage that is higher than the normal dosage and two the pump will not let me do it. He then looked at me and said fine. Unfortunately, the patient eventually passed, but I was glad that I stood my ground.
A lot of times the doctors would place orders and expect the nurses to follow through with them because they are doctors. I have learned throughout my nursing career, that I do not work for the doctors and that I work with them as part of an interdisciplinary team. I am an advocate for my patient and at the end of the day, it is my license that is at risk, not theirs. Having a questioning attitude is very important when it comes to practicing as a nurse. I learned early in my career that I am here for my patients and I honestly don’t care who likes me or not, because my patient is all that matters.
SCIENCE
HEALTH SCIENCE
NURSING
NR 520
Need assistance responding to peer Nurses have dealt with and continue to deal with moral distress o
