instructions: replies should be a minimum of 2 paragraphs each. Use APA 7th ed.
peer 1: ANA Endorsement of Healthcare Worker Safety Statement:
The American Nurses Association wholeheartedly endorses the joint 2019 Position Statement of the Oncology Nursing Society and the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association titled “Ensuring Healthcare Worker Safety When Handling Hazardous Drugs. “This endorsement reflects the commitment of the American Nurses Association to ensuring the safety and well-being of healthcare workers in all settings, including those handling hazardous drugs. As nurses, we play a vital role in the healthcare system, and our safety is of utmost importance. By endorsing this position statement, the American Nurses Association recognizes the importance of implementing comprehensive measures to protect healthcare workers from potential harm when handling hazardous drugs. These measures include but are not limited to providing appropriate personal protective equipment, implementing safe handling procedures, providing education and training on safe handling practices, and establishing clear guidelines and policies for the safe handling of hazardous drugs.
Furthermore, the American Nurses Association believes that collaboration and communication between oncology nurses and occupational health nurses is crucial in promoting healthcare worker safety when handling hazardous drugs. By forming a cooperative alliance between these two specialties, we can enhance our scope of practice and work together to implement effective strategies for cancer prevention, screening, and detection (Esparza, 1983). As well, endorsing this position statement, the American Nurses Association also recognizes the need for ongoing research and evaluation to continuously improve healthcare worker safety in handling hazardous drugs. For example, Tamsulosin, a common urinary flow drug, as an example, nurses should handle it with caution to minimize the risk of exposure and adverse effects. Thus, this position does not only apply to well-known chemotherapy drugs but to any drug that can impose risk.
Importantly, the American Nurses Association reaffirms its commitment to advocating for the well-being and safety of healthcare workers in all aspects of their professional practice. This Illustrates that the ANA understands that healthcare workers are facing numerous challenges in their work environments, and we are dedicated to supporting them by promoting evidence-based practices and advocating for policies that prioritize healthcare worker safety. The use of electronic medical record systems such as Epic and Cerner incorporate alerts when giving hazardous drugs to further enhance safety and prevent harm to employees.
References:
Esparza, D M. (1983, January 1). Oncology Nurses and Occupational Health Nurses: A Cooperative Alliance. https://doi.org/10.1177/216507998303100102
Alex Wubbles Video:
The incident involving nurse Alex Wubbels refusing to provide a patient’s blood to the police shed light on the complex and often challenging dynamics between healthcare professionals and law enforcement. The tense encounter captured in the video showcased the dedication of nurses to uphold patient rights and ethical responsibilities, even in the face of pressure from authorities.
Further this situation served as a catalyst for discussions around the need for clearer guidelines and support for healthcare workers in similar situations in the future. Alex Wubbel’s’ ethical decision to refuse to give police blood highlights the importance of upholding individual rights and following proper legal protocols. This decision aligns with the principles of autonomy and informed consent, as Wubbel’s prioritized the patient’s rights and well-being over external pressures from law enforcement. Additionally, Wubbel’s’ decision demonstrates the need for healthcare professionals to be advocates for their patients and make ethically sound decisions, even in challenging situations.
The video’s emphasis on the importance of multidisciplinary decision-making processes highlighted the interconnected nature of healthcare, legal, and ethical considerations in such scenarios. It has sparked broader discussions within the healthcare community about the support and resources needed to navigate these challenging situations in a way that upholds patient well-being and professional integrity.
peer2: According to the American Nurse Association, position statements are developed to serve as a guide to providing safe quality care to the patient population being served. The development of an official position statement involves recognition of a topic that is relevant to nursing care practice, ANA board of directors approve relevant topics, the board appoints a panel to research and come up with a draft to post to ANA’s web site to be commented on by the public from then on, the statement is revised if needed. Once approved by the ANA board of directors a new position statement has been established.
Patient safety: Rights of the registered nurse when considering a patient assignment. Approved March 12, 2009. “The American Nurse Association (ANA) holds that registered nurses, based on their professional and ethical responsibilities -have the professional right to accept, reject, object in writing to any patient assignment that puts patients or themselves at serious risk for harm”(ANA, 2009. Registered nurses have a professional obligation to safeguard patient which are regulated by ANA code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. Nurse/patient ratio is very important to ensure that patients are being cared for adequately. the skill level as well as expertise helps to decide what patients to assign a particular nurse. Nurses are often heard saying, ” I’m not going to lose my license with this assignment”, so it is important that the nurse is not uncomfortable with her//his assignment.
there is a push to mandate nurse/patient ratio nationally. Facilities often gear their nurse/patient ratio according to its acuity of the floor and patient population. At my Facility: ICU 1:2 step-down unit 1:5, med/surg 1:6 and the ratio tend to go up for the PM shift, 1:8. The nurse is accountable for the care they deliver, so it is very important to have the appropriate assignment. For example, a new nurse with less than three months of being on the job should not be assigned three patients receiving blood transfusions. or an LPN assigned high level care patient receiving insulin drips with one hour blood sugar checks. Standards of professional performance of ANA standard #8 : Advocacy ” The registered nurse demonstrates advocacy in all roles and settings with competencies : Promotes safe care of healthcare, consumer, safe work environment, and sufficient resources.(American nurse association, 2021, p.90).
With the appropriate assignments nurses are able to provide good quality, and safe patient care to their patient population. According to ANA code of ethics (2015) ” The nurse promotes, advocates for, and protects the rights, health, and safety of the patient.”(provision 3).
Part 2 video of Utah nurse
The Utah nurse working in the emergency department was aggressively detained because she did not comply with the detective’s request for blood sampling of an injured unconscious patient brought in due to a accident involving another vehicle during a police chase. Nurse Wubbles was following hospital protocol by not complying with the detective’s request to receives a sample of this patient’s blood without his consent. Nurses are bound by ethical principles to assist in resolving ethical dilemmas. The patient was not conscious, so he could not give informed consent to have his blood drawn to submit to any form of drug testing. Respect for autonomy was upheld as well as beneficence, confidentiality, justice, and fidelity.
Respect for autonomy indicates that the patient is given the right to make informed decisions that is free from restraint or coercion. as well as beneficence meaning to do good, the nurse is acting in a way to that would benefit the patient (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2020).
The patient’s information was kept confidential from public view.so, confidentiality was preserved in that his personal and sensitive information was kept private. as well as providing justice for this patient, the patient was afforded the same type of care as another patient would receive in the same situation.. The nurse owned a duty to provide the best care that was available to this patient. The nurse refused to draw blood to be given to the detective which made the officer angry, but her actions preserved the patient need for justice (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2020). Fidelity was preserved, she remained faithful to providing the best care possible to her patient no matter what the officer insisted on. According to Burkhardt and Nathaniel (2020)”The ethical principle of fidelity relates to the concept of faithfulness and is practice of keeping promises”(p. 39). when the nurse accepted this patient a relationship was established, and she preserved that connection with her patient. This Utah nurse is the type of nurse we should all have the courage to aspire to be, to stand firm when you know that you have done nothing wrong.
