Ethical and Legal Issue Essay

How personal and societal values can influence ethical decision- making process when nurses are faced with ethical issues, nursing has long advocated a nonjudgmental approach to care. Nurses need to able to apply ethical principle in decision- making and consider their own values and belief and the values and belief of the client. As nurses we have the responsibility to protect the right of the client by acting as client advocate. According with Blais, Hayes, Kozier and Erb (2006) values are freely chosen, enduring belief or attitudes about the worth of a person, object, idea, or action. Freedom, courage, family, and dignity are example of values. Blais it al (2006) stated that values frequently derive from a person’s cultural, ethic, and religious background; from societal tradition; and from the values held by peer group and family. In the malpractice case, she faced with an ethical-legal conflict; ethical and legal conflicts are not synonymous. There are times in professional practice when the legal requirement does not appear compatible with ethical approach. Nurses may place themselves in legal jeopardy when they opt for what they see as the ethical or â€Å"right† thing to do, in spite of what is inherent in the law as that apply. In this case the nurse has acted as a client advocate and notify to the admintration about the situation she was witnessed. She may be was influenced by societal values, of human life and individual right. In Marianne case we as nurse have to respect family decision but at the same time patient values by been advocate by remind them to keep in mind what would has Marianne wishes.