Understanding Law, Ethics, Professional Guidelines and their Relationship to Nursing Practice
Immediate and Subsequent Actions
The behavior of the nurse in her professional capacity is unethical and illegal as he abuses the trust of the patient. The immediate action would be to remind the nurse that her actions are unethical, and then report the behavior to the hospital authorities so that disciplinary action can be taken. The act of reporting the behavior of the nurse is guided by the principle of preserving the integrity and dignity of the profession since witnessing such an act and failing to report would be tantamount to condoning such practice (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2016).
The behavior of the nurse is also an abuse of the professional boundaries that ought to be maintained between the nurse and patient. Such boundaries require demand that relationships between the nurse and the patient should be for the benefit of the patient, especially in this case where the patient is frail and terminally ill. The act of reporting the nurse to the authorities is informed by the actions of the nurse where he takes advantage of the vulnerability of the patient and exploits the trust and dependency of the patient. Such actions compromise the therapeutic relationship since the nurse exploits the vulnerability of the patient for financial gain.
Also, the act of reporting the nurse to the authorities is informed by the standards of professional practice in nursing where a nurse should never engage in actions of deceit and lying. The act of withdrawing a patient’s money for self is inhumane and degrading. It is, therefore, necessary for the authorities to know such behaviors as they undermine the prevalence of an environment of trust and good faith that is vital in healthcare environments.
(I.C. RDS 3130)