Native American Ethical Issues

254 Words2 Pages
An ethical issue related to medical care is pain management and the inappropriate judgment of patients being labeled as “Drug Seeking”. There are statistics that prove there is a rise in abuse in opiates within communities. However, at what point does the nurse or provider get to decide what is an adequate pain threshold and how much they should endure? When does the ethical duty to relieve pain and suffering subside to personal biases? Patients deserve to be treated with dignity and respect as they entrust medical providers to relief their pain and suffering. The legacy of medical care in Native American communities brings prejudices and personal biases. To explain, many Native Americans lack appropriate access to pain relief due to government