Psychiatric Nursing Clinical Journal #4
Student Name: Saul Mendoza
Describe an actual or potential ethical dilemma that you have encountered during a clinical rotation? Considering the role of the nurse, what might he/she do to respond to the dilemma?
Nurses often face ethical dilemmas when caring for patients. An ethical dilemma that I encountered during clinical rotation was observed while I was sitting in the day room. I looked out into the hallway and I saw that the nurses were assessing the patient’s weight and vital signs. I noticed that the nurses were not doing this in a confidential manner because the other patients were able to see each other’s information. This is an ethical dilemma because health care providers have an ethical obligation to preserve the confidentiality of information gathered in association with the care of the patient. In the situation that one of the patients was diagnosed with an eating disorder he or she would not want other patients to view that information or they would probably not want to see that information themselves. Considering the role of the nurse, it is most appropriate that the nurses assess the patient’s vital signs and weight individually in a private room.
Self-Reflection
• How has your self-awareness changed
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During my first clinical shifts in this rotation, I noticed that one of my weakness when communicating with patients is knowing how to use therapeutic skills. I believe that sometimes I get anxious that I will say the wrong thing, but I know that as a nurse that it will definitely happen because everyone makes mistakes. I know that throughout time and the more I engage with patients that I will learn how to use therapeutic skills to empathize with patients. This is key because it helps me build a connection with patients by focusing on the patient’s point of view. In