Demonstrate an understanding of common ethical issues in the ICU, and related nursing considerations, by picking one of the following ethical issues and discussing. You may respond to a peer discussing a different topic.

Criteria

1. One original post and one peer response OR two peer responses.  
2. Thoughtfully addresses topic and builds on depth of discussion by including application of course content and critical analysis. 
3. Effectively integrates scholarly literature (3-4 references within last 5 years).
4. APA 7th Edition.
5. See grading rubric for full grading criteria.

Focus:

Demonstrate an understanding of common ethical issues in the ICU, and related nursing considerations, by picking one of the following ethical issues and discussing. You may respond to a peer discussing a different topic. 

Do Not Resuscitate Orders (goals of care) 

Malpractice and Negligence 

Access to care (metropolitan vs rural vs remote communities) 

Patient Confidentiality 

Allocation of limited donor organs, medications and supportive equipment (ie ventilators) 

Here is a written sample from another student

Distributive Justice and Legal Implications of Resource Allocation in ICU

Allocation of limited resources in intensive care units including donor organs and supportive equipment such as ventilators raise significant ethical and moral dilemma subject to organizational policy, professional standards, and patients’ rights which lead to distress for the stakeholders and have legal implications (Choi, 2022; Rai et al., 2021; Landry et al., 2019). Where distributive justice is concerned, scarce resources must be allocated based on clinician assessment and prognosis while adhering to the economical demands of the hospital (CNA, 2017; Keatings & Pamela, 2020). Three principles that serve as guiding factors are that of saving more lives, saving more life-years, and saving healthier lives (Choi, 2022; Rai et al., 2021). Where the sanctity of life is held above all else, which includes dignity in dying, following physician assessment and determination of whether a ventilator would be death-prolonging, or an organ donation would be life-saving, for example, final decisions are often met with resistance by family should the recommendation be that the resources are offered to a patient with better hopes of survival (Choi, 2022; Rai et al., 2021). This dilemma often prompts the need for a review panel to investigate and assist in deciding which patient should receive the available resource, and which should be essentially sacrificed (Landry et al., 2019; Rai et al., 2021). Additionally, the legal implications for possible negligence or battery by way of causing harm if a patient is denied, prevented, or withdrawn access from potentially life-saving treatment, and the CPSO policy requirement that doctors provide all life-sustaining treatment should it be requested under all circumstances, challenges distributive justice, beneficence, and impacts resource availability (Landry et al., 2019; Potter et al., 2019).