Paternalism In Nursing

Nursing is a profession which requires frequent dealing with ethical issues. So, nurses have been facing ethical dilemmas in their practice. In the process of doing good and promoting health of the patient, the issue of paternalism is evident in nursing. Paternalism in health care means violating the patient’s right to make the decision to do good or to do no harm to the patient (Burkhardt, Nathaniel, Walton, 2014a, p. 56). The issue of paternalism arises because of the power differential between the nurses and the patients’. Nurses often think that they know what is best for the patients than the patients do. Patients’ preferences, values, beliefs, and decisions are ignored in an attempt to promote patients’ health and well-being which

59) and non-maleficence (Burkhardt et al., 2014a, p. 62) whereas it hinders the principle of autonomy (Burkhardt et al., 2014a, p. 49). Therefore, the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence conflict with the principle of autonomy in paternalism. The term paternalism is viewed in a negative way as it invades the person’s autonomy. However, if the person is incompetent in decision-making, paternalism is considered positive as an advocacy (Burkhardt et al., 2014a, p. 56). Nurses have the professional and legal obligation to act beneficently, but the patients also have the right to make their own decision (Zomorodi & Foley, 2009, p. 1749). When the nurse imposes his/her values and beliefs in decision making, and if the patient holds different values and beliefs in the same situation, conflicts may arise. There is a controversy of who should choose what is best for the patient (Burkhardt et al., 2014c, p. 271). This type of conflicting situation brings moral dilemma in nursing practice. So, nurses should be careful that the autonomy of the patient is not neglected in the name of beneficence while making the decision, and patients should be involved in decision making-process (Griffith & Tengnah, 2013, p.