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A Call For Liberty And Justice For All: Unraveling The Complexities In 2021, Dr. Sheila P. Davis

Journal of Health Ethics

This Preface summarizes the articles in this issue. Seven articles are presented with center on liberty and justice for all populations discussed.

Open Letter To All Readers, Reviewers, And Authors, Dr. Sheila P. Davis

Journal of Health Ethics

Open Letter for all Readers, Reviewers, and Authors of the Online Journal of Health Ethics

Patient Advocacy: A Tool For Resolving Ethical Issues For Patients That Use The Emergency Department For Chronic Care Management, Lawanda Baskin

Journal of Health Ethics

The current state of scientific knowledge on using the emergency department (ED) for chronic care management indicates that using the ED for chronic care management creates health disparities and burdens healthcare systems. Ethical concerns also arise because patients use the ED for chronic care management. This article discusses health literacy, self-care behaviors, and social support and the presence of patient suffering, nonmaleficence, and beneficence in patients who seek care for chronic care management in the ED. Patient advocacy as a tool to lessen these ethical issues is further discussed. Eighty-six participants were used in a cross-sectional correlational predictive study. Findings …

Ethical Imperatives Critical To Effective Disease Control In The Coronavirus Pandemic: Recognition Of Global Health Interdependence As A Driver Of Health And Social Equity, George A. Gellert Md, Mph, Mpa

Journal of Health Ethics

Ethical imperatives critical to effective disease control in the coronavirus pandemic: Recognition of global health interdependence as a driver of health and social equity

George A. Gellert MD, MPH, MPA

ABSTRACT

Decades into the era of emerging infectious diseases, the 2019-2020 coronavirus pandemic has caught the world, and the United States in particular, poorly prepared to engage effective public health disease prevention and control measures. In part, this reflects poor public health planning, response, logistical preparation and pandemic readiness, and complacency by governments and disease control agencies. In terms of future responses to emerging infection pandemics, these deficiencies can be …

The George Floyd Of Healthcare, Sheila P. Davis, Phd, Fnp-C, Faan, Lsm-Bc, Gary Davis, Md

Journal of Health Ethics

Authors explore the infamous murder of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, and juxtaposition it to systemic racial practices in healthcare as documented by the Institute of Medicine Report: Unequal Treatment. The current COVID-19 pandemic is presented as a situation which has the potential to ignite unresolved discriminatory healthcare practices. Proposed are policies which could possibly mitigate this phenomenon.

Childhood Obesity: Physiological And Psychological Implications And Ethical Responsibilities, Connie S. Lewis

Journal of Health Ethics

Childhood obesity continues to be a health concern in the United States with physiological and psychological consequences. Research conducted in schools may address the physiological effects and exacerbate negative psychological effects, including weight bias and stigmatization. In the home, children are dependent on parents/caregivers to provide a healthy diet and exhibit a healthy lifestyle.The ethical theory, ethics of care, emphasizes dependence and interdependence on others, and ethical and moral responsibilities in the parent/child relationship. The assurance of ethical considerations involving children in research and parental provision for healthy dietary provision is of utmost importance. Any action or inaction that results …

Stress Of Conscience: Concept Clarification, Muder Alkrisat, Manal Alatrash

Journal of Health Ethics

Workers in healthcare systems are predisposed to work-related stress based on moral factors. Stress results when nurses are exposed to ambiguous moral situations, or when they are prevented by hospitals or their employees from doing what they ought to do. Such experiences have been described as stress of conscience because they give rise to a troubled conscience. Empirical studies indicate that health care employees, including nurses, sometimes refer to stress of conscience when faced with ethically difficult situations related to patient care.

Ethics In Community Nursing, Bonnie Pope, M. C. Hough, Susan Chase

Journal of Health Ethics

The purpose of this theoretical paper is to explore the ethics in a community nursing. Nursing, a practice discipline recognizes caring, morals, and values as integral to the practice of all nurses. The ethical principles of beneficence, autonomy, advocacy, and social justice will be discussed from the lens of caring. Caring nursing theorists, such as Jean Watson, Ann Boykin, and Savina Schoenhofer, articulate the importance of understanding communities and individuals as whole and autonomous. These theorists and others challenge nursing to engage in a responsive, ethical and philosophical discourse when the community is viewed as autonomous.

The Meaning Of Evidence And Nonmaleficence: Cases From Nursing, Chenit Ong-Flaherty Dnp, Angela Banks Phd, Martha Doyle Msn, Claire Olivia Sharifi

Journal of Health Ethics

In our increasingly diverse environment, nurses are obligated to question the meaning of “evidence” when history has shown that our emphasis on the empirical and quantitative data has shaped our biases against knowledge unknown to us. This bias has limited our ability to provide patient or person-centered care, and can be harmful to patients. Nurses are encouraged to reflect on what evidence means in their practice, and to make sure harm is not caused to patients by dismissing evidence yet unknown to us or accepting “truths” not fully understood by us. The authors use composite case studies to share experiences …

Does Theory Translate In The Trenches Of Short Term Mission Work?, Rhonda D. Hensley

Journal of Health Ethics

Despite numerous criticisms in the literature on the ethics and sustainable outcomes of short term international mission trips, there can be positive outcomes for volunteers and for recipients of short term mission care efforts. Utilizing a theoretical framework that addresses efforts to promote sustainability can lead to a structured, productive, and satisfying experience. With effective host country partnerships and an organized model of care delivery, international mission volunteers can provide highly effective health care services that are specific to the health and cultural needs of the host community.

Effects Of An Instructional Intervention On Student Nurses' Awareness Of Hearing Impaired Patients' Communication Needs, Charles G. Marx, Kimberly Ward, Edward L. Goshorn, Virginia L. Sumrall

Journal of Health Ethics

A recent survey (Kemker, et al, 2013) of practicing nurses’ awareness of hearing impaired patients’ communication needs revealed a potential need to supplement the curriculum. The instructional areas that required supplemental information were related to assisting patients with their amplification devices and in verifying that a verbal message has been accurately received. These areas may not be sufficiently covered in a typical School of Nursing curriculum. To meet the curriculum needs and to address any potential ethical concerns regarding provision of care to this patient population, instructional materials were developed by the authors that directly addressed the identified areas. These …

Integrating Social Justice For Health Professional Education: Self-Reflection, Advocacy, And Collaborative Learning, Lena Hatchett, Nanette Elster, Katherine Wasson, Lisa Anderson, Kayhan Parsi

Journal of Health Ethics

Justice as fair and equal treatment for all is one of the core visions for health professional education to reduce racial and economic health disparities in bioethics, nursing and medicine. However, the current reality of deeply entrenched structural inequities across race, class, gender, and social privilege make it a challenge for students to become aware of practical health equity solutions. This paper illustrates how faculty and students can build their understanding of health equity solutions in health professional education through self-reflection, self-direction, advocacy, and collaborative learning opportunities. We provide lessons learned and teaching resources from nursing, medicine, and law.

Nursing's Ethical Responsibilities In Value-Based Purchasing, Wendy B. Bailes, Marcia M. Rachel, Sheila Keller

Journal of Health Ethics

Healthcare changes have resulted in the development of reimbursement initiatives such as value-based purchasing. These initiatives are designed to improve quality of care, decrease healthcare costs and improve the perception of care. Many of the compliance mandates are related to care provided by the professional nurse. Ethical considerations of these mandates will be explored utilizing the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics.

Determining The Effects Of Past Negative Experiences Involving Patient Care, Jennifer L. Brown Phd, Francine M. Parker Edd, Msn, Cne, Ramona B. Lazenby Edd, Fn-Bc, Cne

Journal of Health Ethics

As the cost of healthcare continues to raise, the need to address nurse attrition, which is a contributing factor, also rises. While there are various factors that influence nurses’ decision to leave or stay, job satisfaction and ethical climate are significant variables. This study examined the effects of negative previous work experiences on job satisfaction and ethical climate. The results showed previous work experiences moderated both job satisfaction and ethical climate. In addition, ethical climate mediated the effects of previous experiences on job satisfaction. The implications include identifying nurses who may have had negative experiences prior to their current employment …

Meaningful Ethical Encounters:The Lived Experience Of The Genetics Nurse, Elizabeth A. Tinnon

Journal of Health Ethics

Meaningful Ethical Encounters: The Lived Experience of the Genetics Nurse

Abstract

Discoveries of the Human Genome Project, while beneficial to improving health, are accompanied by new and unique ethical concerns. The aim of this study was to describe and gain an understanding of the lived experience of genetics nurses as it relates to encountered ethical concerns. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach using van Manen’s thematic analysis was the method for this investigation. A sample of eight genetics nurses participated in the study. Seven essential themes emerged from the texts: (a) caring over time, (b) shared pain and suffering, (c) my job …

The Relationship Of Moral Distress, Ethical Environment And Nurse Job Satisfaction, Francine M. Parker Edd, Msn, Rn, Ramona B. Lazenby Msn, Rn, Crnp, Jennifer L. Brown B.S.Ed., M.Ed., Ed.S, Ph.D.

Journal of Health Ethics

Nurses are fundamental to the delivery of quality, safe and competent health care in multilevel complex systems. Faced with challenging, dynamic, and evolving patient care and workforce issues, nurses must create ethical environments, which foster a respectful climate in which decisions are made and supported. The current study examined the relationship between ethical climate, frequency of moral distress, intensity of moral distress, and overall job satisfaction among registered nurses at two hospitals located in the Southeastern United States as measured by the Moral Distress Scale and the Hospital Ethical Climate Survey. The results of the correlational study suggest a …