NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS

Walden University NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS – Step-By-Step Guide

This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Walden University NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.

How to Research and Prepare for NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS

Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Walden University NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.

After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.

How to Write the Introduction for NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS

The introduction for the Walden University NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.

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How to Write the Body for NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS

After the introduction, move into the main part of the NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.

Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.

How to Write the Conclusion for NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS

After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.

How to Format the References List for NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS

The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.

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Sample Answer for NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS

Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs
The promotion of safety and quality in the prescription of medications is
imperative in nursing practice. Advanced registered nurses make treatment
decisions based on best practices available and utilize interprofessional
collaboration to optimize treatment outcomes. Therefore, this paper explores the
ethics of prescribing a new drug, which has not been approved to a 7-year-old child
for asthma.

Ethical and Legal Implications

The prescription of unapproved drug to the 7-year-old child is associated
with significant ethical and legal implications to the nurses’ role in practice. First,
the new drug has not been tested or approved for its efficiency and effectiveness in
asthma treatment. The drug has also not been used in children under the age of 12
years. As a result, it raises the concerns related to the safety of the drug(Woo et al.,
2019). The drug predisposes the 7-year-old to harm because of the lack of
information about its safety in children below 12 years.
The prescription of the new drug to the 7-year-old violates the nurses’ code
of ethics and standards of practice. Advanced registered nurses have the
professional and legal responsibility of promoting safety, quality, and efficiency in
their practice. They make decisions based on best available evidence, practice
guidelines, and protection of the patient’s rights in the treatment process. The

3
professional standards of practice require them to make decisions that minimize
harm while optimizing treatment benefits(Grace & Uveges, 2022). The new drug
has never been tested or studied to determine its safety and efficacy profile.
Therefore, prescribing the drug will violate the stated codes of practice and ethics
in nursing.

Strategies to Address Disclosure and Non-Disclosure

Disclosure and non-disclosure influence the actions that nurses implement in
their practice. disclosure entails the provider informing the patient and their
significant others about the events that have happened to them in the care process.
Advanced practice nurses have the professional obligation to inform their patients
about any health interventions implemented to promote their health and recovery.
The code of ethics by the American Nurses Association requires that nurses should
promote and advocate the patients’ rights, safety, health, and wellbeing(Passini et
al., 2023). Non-disclosure entails not informing the patients about any events that
have happened to them in the care process.
The state of California requires that healthcare providers to disclose any
information that influences health and outcomes to the patients. The disclosure
includes providing information about any error that has been made in the delivery
of the care. The patient then makes the decision to either share the information
with other people or not. The disclosure will also extend to the hospital’s

4
management for the implementation of interventions that will minimize error
occurrence in the future. Disclosure of information would promote patient’s
autonomy, beneficence, and non-maleficence in the treatment process(Fairchild,
2021). Non-disclosure will translate into nurse’s lack of professional responsibility
and negligence, which violates provision 3 of the American Code of Ethics for
nurses.

Strategies to Guide Decision Making

One of the strategies that I will adopt to guide my decision-making is
interprofessional collaboration. I will involve the other healthcare providers in
assessing if we should prescribe the new drug to the 7-year-old. Interprofessional
collaboration will ensure the collective examination of the potential alternatives
that we may consider to optimize outcomes in the treatment process. Collaboration
will also enable the team to examine any evidence that supports the use of the new
drug in the treatment and potential risks if any(Donnelly et al., 2021). Therefore,
interprofessional collaboration will ensure the adoption of an ethical and most
relevant solution in the scenario.
The second strategy that I will use to guide my decision making is relying on
the set organizational policies and guidelines. Health organizations have policies
that guide nurses in making decisions. The guidelines limit the nurses’
involvement in activities that predispose patients to unintended harm. Relying on

5
them will ensure that I make an informed decision about the issue(Grace &
Uveges, 2022). I will disclose the error. As noted above, disclosure is crucial to
promote the adoption of interventions that will minimize any harm. Disclosure will
also ensure accountability and professional responsibility as an advanced practice
nurse.
Process of Writing Prescriptions and Strategies to Minimize Medication

Errors

Writing prescriptions should follow developed guidelines to minimize
medication errors. One of the processes in writing prescriptions is writing clearly
and accurately the patient’s data such as name, age, gender, and diagnosis.
Information about the medication name should also be written clearly and
accurately to avoid confusion. The prescriber should avoid abbreviations and
illegible writing. The dosage information should be concise with clear and specific
directions. The therapeutic duration of the drug should also be specific alongside
the drug’s therapeutic intervention. Any supplemental instructions such as
medication refill or warnings should also be included. The strategies that can be
adopted to minimize medication errors include provider training and education
about best practices, use of health technologies, double checking and encouraging
open reporting of medication errors(Royce et al., 2019; Sutton et al., 2020).

Conclusion

6
The promotion of safety and quality in prescribing medications is important.
I will disclose the medication error. The issue has significant and ethical
implications to nursing practice. Advanced registered nurses should adopt best
practices that minimize errors in their practice.

Also Read:

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ASTHMA AND STEPWISE MANAGEMENT

PHARMACOTHERAPY FOR GASTROINTESTINAL AND HEPATOBILIARY DISORDERS

DIABETES AND DRUG TREATMENTS

DECISION TREE FOR NEUROLOGICAL AND MUSCULOSKELETAL

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING PHARMACOLOGIC OPTIONS FOR THE TREATMENT OF GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER

WOMEN’S AND MEN’S HEALTH, INFECTIOUS DISEASE, AND HEMATOLOGIC DISORDERS

OFF-LABEL DRUG USE IN PEDIATRICS

References

Donnelly, S., Ó Coimín, D., O’Donnell, D., Ní Shé, É., Davies, C., Christophers,
L., Mc Donald, S., & Kroll, T. (2021). Assisted decision-making and
interprofessional collaboration in the care of older people: A qualitative
study exploring perceptions of barriers and facilitators in the acute hospital
setting. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 35(6), 852–862.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2020.1863342
Fairchild, A. (2021). The ethical conflict of truth, hope, and the experience of
suffering: A discussion of non-disclosure of terminal illness and clinical
placebos. Clinical Ethics, 16(2), 130–136.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1477750920959556
Grace, P. J., & Uveges, M. K. (2022). Nursing Ethics and Professional
Responsibility in Advanced Practice. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Passini, L., Bouedec, S. L., Dassieu, G., Reynaud, A., Jung, C., Keller, M.-L.,
Lefebvre, A., Katty, T., Baleyte, J.-M., Layese, R., Audureau, E.,
&Caeymaex, L. (2023). Error disclosure in neonatal intensive care: A
multicentre, prospective, observational study. BMJ Quality & Safety.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2022-015247
Royce, C. S., Hayes, M. M., &Schwartzstein, R. M. (2019). Teaching Critical
Thinking: A Case for Instruction in Cognitive Biases to Reduce Diagnostic

Errors and Improve Patient Safety. Academic Medicine, 94(2), 187.
https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000002518
Sutton, R. T., Pincock, D., Baumgart, D. C., Sadowski, D. C., Fedorak, R. N., &
Kroeker, K. I. (2020). An overview of clinical decision support systems:
Benefits, risks, and strategies for success. Npj Digital Medicine, 3(1), Article

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-020-0221-y
Woo, B. F. Y., Zhou, W., Lim, T. W., & Tam, W. W. S. (2019). Practice patterns and
role perception of advanced practice nurses: A nationwide cross-sectional
study. Journal of Nursing Management, 27(5), 992–1004.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12759

Sample Answer 2 for NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS

In the case study provided for this assignment, an elderly male patient was admitted to the ICU after suffering a severe stroke that left him unresponsive and unable to talk. It was decided to mechanically ventilate the patient. Although the patient’s wife lacks advanced healthcare directives, she intuitively knows what the patient would have preferred, which is very different from the opinion of her adult daughter. While their daughter is adamant that her father would have desires to be supported in case there is any prospect of things becoming better, she is fairly certain that her husband might not want to live like this. The scenario’s ethical and legal ramifications for all parties involved are explained in this paper, along with methods for dealing with disclosure and nondisclosure issues and the decision-making process.

Ethical and Legal Implications

According to the scenario given, the patient suffered serious consequences as a result of the medication error, including a severe stroke that rendered him comatose. This case has several moral and legal ramifications. For instance, the prescriber can interfere with the patient’s right to self-determination (Ozeke et al., 2019). The concepts of beneficence and non-maleficence as well as disclosure and the right to information are additional ethical consequences. A malpractice lawsuit or the loss of the prescriber’s practicing license are other potential legal repercussions. Contrarily, the pharmacist is in charge of double-checking the prescription and notifying the prescriber of any medical errors so that the appropriate adjustments can be made.

As a result, in the scenario described above, the pharmacist may also suffer legal repercussions, such as losing his or her ability to practice medicine. The medication error has caused the most harm to the patient. Despite being denied his right to information and self-determination, he is unconscious. But, by bringing a lawsuit or complaining to higher authorities about the medical error, his family members can fight for the patient (Samundeeswari, 2018). Yet, because there are no advanced directives, they are unable to make decisions on the patient’s behalf.

Disclosure and Non-disclosure

Hospitals in Massachusetts are required by law to submit what are termed “serious reportable events” (SREs) to the Health and Human Services Department of Public Health as part of an attempt to identify and track issues with the delivery of healthcare. Additionally, disclosure of unexpected results with a substantial medical problem is necessary under the Massachusetts Health Payment Reform Act, which took effect in November 2012 (Olazo et al., 2022). The MA legal system, and particularly tort law, which allows individuals or organizations to be sued in civil court for negligence and recover damages, puts a lot of pressure on the medical system to acknowledge mistakes, reimburse victims, and make adjustments to prevent further errors. Not reporting medical mistakes is also against patient-centered ethics. For the corrective action to be undertaken, the provider must investigate the healthcare organization’s policy and rules on the disclosure of medication errors and discuss with the supervisor how to do so (Ozeke et al., 2019).

Decision Making

I will be required to inform my supervisor of the error before informing the patient’s family following the patient’s right to self-determination and awareness. The policy and procedures for disclosing medication errors set forth by the healthcare organization served as the basis for this judgment (Robertson & Long, 2018). My supervisor will therefore assist in determining the best course of action to pursue as well as any potential legal repercussions that may be connected to the mistake. Since the patient is unconscious, his family members will be informed of this information and the appropriate course of action will be implemented (Melnyk et al., 2021).

Writing Prescriptions

To ensure patient safety and prevent medication errors, prescribing medications requires a high level of knowledge and skills. To write a valid prescription, the prescriber must adhere to all informational standards. The following steps are crucial when writing a prescription. The initial step is gathering patient data, such as diagnosis and demographics (de Arajo et al., 2019). Providing your information as the prescriber is the second step. The name, dosage form, strength, and frequency of the medicine to be administered are determined in the third phase. It’s crucial to record the precise dosage of the medication that has been prescribed. The indication of use and the number of refills are provided in the fourth phase. The prescriber must then sign the document at the conclusion. Prescribers are urged to use automated provider order entry to reduce prescription errors.

Conclusion

To ensure patient safety, it is critical to take into account legal and ethical standards given that nurses have a rising extent of prescriptive privileges. As a result, prescriptive practice among RNs is governed by particular laws in each state. Similar to the case study under discussion, breaking such rules is unethical for the patient and may have legal repercussions for the prescriber.

References

de Araújo, B. C., de Melo, R. C., de Bortoli, M. C., Bonfim, J. R. de A., & Toma, T. S. (2019). How to Prevent or Reduce Prescribing Errors: An Evidence Brief for Policy. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2019.00439

Melnyk, B. M., Tan, A., Hsieh, A. P., Gawlik, K., Arslanian-Engoren, C., Braun, L. T., Dunbar, S., Dunbar-Jacob, J., Lewis, L. M., Millan, A., Orsolini, L., Robbins, L. B., Russell, C. L., Tucker, S., & Wilbur, J. (2021). Critical Care Nurses’ Physical and Mental Health, Worksite Wellness Support, and Medical Errors. American Journal of Critical Care, 30(3), 176–184. https://doi.org/10.4037/ajcc2021301

Olazo, K., Wang, K., Sierra, M., Barr-Walker, J., & Sarkar, U. (2022). Preferences and Perceptions of Medical Error Disclosure Among Marginalized Populations: A Narrative Review. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjq.2022.06.008

Ozeke, O., Ozeke, V., Coskun, O., & Budakoglu, I. I. (2019). Second victims in health care: current perspectives. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, Volume 10, 593–603. https://doi.org/10.2147/amep.s185912

Robertson, J. J., & Long, B. (2018). Suffering in Silence: Medical Error and its Impact on Health Care Providers. The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 54(4), 402–409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2017.12.001

Samundeeswari, A. (2018). Nurses’ Knowledge on Prevention of Medication Error. Journal of Medical Science and Clinical Research, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v6i3.45

Sample Answer 3 for NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS

The promotion of safety and quality in the prescription of medications is imperative in nursing practice. Advanced registered nurses make treatment decisions based on best practices available and utilize interprofessional collaboration to optimize treatment outcomes. Therefore, this paper explores the ethics of prescribing a new drug, which has not been approved to a 7-year-old child for asthma.

Ethical and Legal Implications

The prescription of the new drug to the 7-year-old violates the nurses’ code of ethics and standards of practice. Advanced registered nurses have the professional and legal responsibility of promoting safety, quality, and efficiency in their practice. They make decisions based on best available evidence, practice guidelines, and protection of the patient’s rights in the treatment process. The professional standards of practice require them to make decisions that minimize harm while optimizing treatment benefits(Grace & Uveges, 2022). The new drug has never been tested or studied to determine its safety and efficacy profile. Therefore, prescribing the drug will violate the stated codes of practice and ethics in nursing.

Strategies to Address Disclosure and Non-Disclosure

The state of California requires that healthcare providers to disclose any information that influences health and outcomes to the patients. The disclosure includes providing information about any error that has been made in the delivery of the care. The patient then makes the decision to either share the information with other people or not. The disclosure will also extend to the hospital’s management for the implementation of interventions that will minimize error occurrence in the future. Disclosure of information would promote patient’s autonomy, beneficence, and non-maleficence in the treatment process(Fairchild, 2021). Non-disclosure will translate into nurse’s lack of professional responsibility and negligence, which violates provision 3 of the American Code of Ethics for nurses.

Strategies to Guide Decision Making

The second strategy that I will use to guide my decision making is relying on the set organizational policies and guidelines. Health organizations have policies that guide nurses in making decisions. The guidelines limit the nurses’ involvement in activities that predispose patients to unintended harm. Relying on them will ensure that I make an informed decision about the issue(Grace & Uveges, 2022). I will disclose the error. As noted above, disclosure is crucial to promote the adoption of interventions that will minimize any harm. Disclosure will also ensure accountability and professional responsibility as an advanced practice nurse.

Process of Writing Prescriptions and Strategies to Minimize Medication Errors

Writing prescriptions should follow developed guidelines to minimize medication errors. One of the processes in writing prescriptions is writing clearly and accurately the patient’s data such as name, age, gender, and diagnosis. Information about the medication name should also be written clearly and accurately to avoid confusion. The prescriber should avoid abbreviations and illegible writing. The dosage information should be concise with clear and specific directions. The therapeutic duration of the drug should also be specific alongside the drug’s therapeutic intervention. Any supplemental instructions such as medication refill or warnings should also be included. The strategies that can be adopted to minimize medication errors include provider training and education about best practices, use of health technologies, double checking and encouraging open reporting of medication errors(Royce et al., 2019; Sutton et al., 2020).

Conclusion

The promotion of safety and quality in prescribing medications is important. I will disclose the medication error. The issue has significant and ethical implications to nursing practice. Advanced registered nurses should adopt best practices that minimize errors in their practice.

References

Fairchild, A. (2021). The ethical conflict of truth, hope, and the experience of suffering: A discussion of non-disclosure of terminal illness and clinical placebos. Clinical Ethics, 16(2), 130–136. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477750920959556

Grace, P. J., & Uveges, M. K. (2022). Nursing Ethics and Professional Responsibility in Advanced Practice. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Passini, L., Bouedec, S. L., Dassieu, G., Reynaud, A., Jung, C., Keller, M.-L., Lefebvre, A., Katty, T., Baleyte, J.-M., Layese, R., Audureau, E., &Caeymaex, L. (2023). Error disclosure in neonatal intensive care: A multicentre, prospective, observational study. BMJ Quality & Safety. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2022-015247

Royce, C. S., Hayes, M. M., &Schwartzstein, R. M. (2019). Teaching Critical Thinking: A Case for Instruction in Cognitive Biases to Reduce Diagnostic Errors and Improve Patient Safety. Academic Medicine, 94(2), 187. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000002518

Sutton, R. T., Pincock, D., Baumgart, D. C., Sadowski, D. C., Fedorak, R. N., & Kroeker, K. I. (2020). An overview of clinical decision support systems: Benefits, risks, and strategies for success. Npj Digital Medicine, 3(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-020-0221-y

Woo, B. F. Y., Zhou, W., Lim, T. W., & Tam, W. W. S. (2019). Practice patterns and role perception of advanced practice nurses: A nationwide cross-sectional study. Journal of Nursing Management, 27(5), 992–1004. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12759

Sample Answer 4 for NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS

Prescriber

Ethical Implications:

The prescriber must consider the principle ofbeneficence, which involves promoting the well-being of the patient. The new medication could potentially improve JJ’s condition, but it has not been approved for children under 12. The prescriber must weigh the potential benefits against the risks.
The principle ofnon-maleficence, or “do no harm”, is also relevant. The prescriber must ensure that the potential harm of the new medication does not outweigh its potential benefits.

Legal Implications:

Prescribing a medication that has not been approved for use in children under 12 could potentially lead to legal consequences if harm comes to the patient.

Pharmacist

Ethical Implications:

The pharmacist also has a duty ofbeneficence and non-maleficence. They must ensure that the medication is dispensed correctly and that the patient and their family understand how to use it.
The principle ofautonomy is also relevant. The pharmacist must respect the decisions of the patient and their family, provided they are informed and capable of making such decisions.

Legal Implications:

The pharmacist could potentially face legal consequences if they dispense a medication that is not approved for use in children under 12 and harm comes to the patient.

Patient and Patient’s Family

Ethical Implications:

The patient’s family must consider the potential benefits and risks of the new medication. They have a responsibility to make decisions in the best interest of the patient.
The principle ofautonomy is also relevant. The patient’s family must be given all the necessary information to make an informed decision about the new medication.

Legal Implications:

The patient’s family could potentially face legal consequences if they consent to the use of a medication that is not approved for use in children under 12 and harm comes to the patient.

In conclusion, all stakeholders must carefully consider the ethical and legal implications of using a new medication that has not been approved for use in children under 12. They must weigh the potential benefits against the risks, and ensure that all decisions are made in the best interest of the patient.

Strategies to address disclosure and nondisclosure

Disclosure

Informing about the New Medication: The first step would be to inform JJ’s parents about the new medication being developed. This should include details about the medication’s components, its potential benefits, and the fact that it has not been approved for children under 12.

“I would like to inform you about a new medication being developed that might help JJ’s condition. It’s a combination of a bronchodilator, steroid, and antihistamine. However, it’s important to note that this medication has not yet been approved for children under 12.”

Discussing the Risks and Benefits: The potential risks and benefits of the new medication should be clearly explained. This includes potential side effects, the possibility of the medication not working, and the potential benefits if the medication does work.
Explaining the Study: If the parents are interested, the details of the study should be explained. This includes the study’s purpose, procedures, potential risks and benefits, and the voluntary nature of participation.

Non-Disclosure

While full disclosure is generally the norm, there may be instances where non-disclosure could be considered:

If Disclosure Causes Harm: If it is believed that the disclosure could cause significant distress or harm to JJ or his parents, non-disclosure might be considered. However, this should be a rare exception and not the norm.
If Parents Explicitly Request Non-Disclosure: If JJ’s parents explicitly request not to be informed about certain aspects of the treatment or study, their wishes should be respected. However, it’s important to ensure they understand the potential implications of this decision.

In all cases, the guiding principle should be the best interest of the patient. It’s also important to remember that these strategies should be tailored to the specific circumstances and cultural, ethical, and legal context.

Sample Answer 4 for NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS

Nurse practitioners play a crucial role in the provision of care services that optimize on outcomes such as safety, quality, and efficiency. Often, they utilize evidence-based information to make informed decisions about the needs of their patients. Part of the nurse practitioners’ role is ensuring safe prescribing and use of medications by their patients. Factors such as patient’s age, disease status, and concurrent use of other medications influence the prescription decisions by the nurse practitioners. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore ethics around a medication error committed by a nurse practitioner. It also examines the strategies to address disclosure and non-disclosure, decision-making, and the process of writing prescriptions.

Ethical and Legal Implications

The assigned case study is of a nurse practitioner who has made a medication error while prescribing a drug to a 5-year-old patient. The dosing for the medication is for an adult patient. The case study is associated with significant ethical and legal implications to the nurse practitioner, pharmacist, patient, and her family. First, nurse practitioners should promote safety and quality through safe prescribing in their practice. The nurse should demonstrate competencies in different medications, side effects, indications, and collaboration with other healthcare providers to ensure safe medication use. They should also have an in-depth understanding of the medication requirements for patients of different age groups and factors influencing the selected interventions (Trockel et al., 2020). Therefore, the nurse practitioner is legally responsible for predisposing the patient to unintended harm from the medication error. The error also violates the ethics of nursing practice such as ensuring justice, non-maleficence and beneficence.

The error also has ethical and legal implications to the pharmacist. Accordingly, nurse practitioners should collaborate with pharmacists to ensure safety in medication use. The professional roles of the pharmacist include ensuring the dispensed medications are appropriate for the patient’s age and condition. The pharmacist faces lawsuit of negligence for failing to cross check the prescription against the patient’s data before dispensing the medication (Mansour et al., 2020). He has also violated the ethics of professional standards of practice where the focus should be on ensuring safety, quality, and efficiency in the patient care process.

The error also has implications to the child and her family. Medication errors may cause unintended harm to the patients. The side and adverse effects associated with the drugs have a negative effect on the patient’s health. Medication errors may also necessitate the need for hospitalizations and increased care costs being incurred by the family. In some cases, severe complications may arise leading to premature mortalities. Cumulatively, the effects lower the child’s and family’s quality of life (Mansour et al., 2020). The error violates the patient and family’s right to safe and high-quality care, hence, the ethics and legal issues associated with the problem.

Strategies to Address Disclosure and Non-disclosure

Patients have a right to informed care from their healthcare providers. This includes being informed about error occurrence and potential impacts on their lives. Healthcare providers have the mandate of disclosing information about the care given and needs to their patients. The disclosure assures patients their right to justice and informed care. However, issues such as medication errors predispose healthcare providers to the ethical dilemma of disclosing the information to patients or not. Factors such as fear of malpractice threats, lawsuits, and disciplinary processes affect the decision of healthcare providers to disclose the information in their practice (Mansour et al., 2020).

Health organizations have adopted several measures to prevent medical errors in practice. However, medical errors remain inevitable, as seen from the statistics that more than one million errors are reported annually in America (Mansour et al., 2020). Therefore, an appropriate intervention for the nurse practitioner would be informing the parents or guardians of the five year old child about the error. States have adopted measures to address discloses and non-disclosure of safety issues in health organizations. For example, the state of California encourages health organizations and providers to disclose errors committed to be used as learning opportunities for error reduction. The laws require hospitals to have reporting mechanisms that encourage transparency and prohibits victimization of the involved. The recommendations align with the apology laws that seek to mitigate similar errors in the future practice of healthcare providers (Ross & Newman, 2021).

Strategies

One of the strategies I would adopt to address the situation is employing the model of ethical decision-making by the American Counseling Association. The model provides practical steps that nurses can use to resolve dilemmas in their practice. The first step is problem identification where the focus is obtaining information that led to the situation. Facts are obtained to guide in the decision-making. The second step is applying the code of ethics by the American Nurses Association to the problem. The third step is determining the dimensions the dilemma has and generating potential actions that may be needed in the situation. The fourth step is considering the consequences of all the actions and selecting the best course of action. The last step is evaluating the adopted action to determine its effectiveness (Reiner, 2023). The second strategy would be collaborating with the physician or unit manager to analyze the situation and the appropriate potential actions. I will disclose the error. As noted initially, patients have a right to informed care and justice. As a result, I will apply apology laws in disclosing the error and use it as an opportunity to learn and prevent similar incidences in the future.

Process of Writing Prescriptions

Nurse practitioners should consider a specific process in writing prescriptions to minimize errors. First, the prescription should contain the patient’s biodata. This includes name, age, sex, gender. It should also contain a medical diagnosis which informed the prescription. The pharmacist will use the information to confirm the accuracy and need for the prescription. Third, the nurse should ensure completeness in the prescribed medication. This includes ensuring the medication name is clear, with strength, frequency of use, route, duration, and refills if any. The nurse should also provide supplemental instructions if any and include their name and signature. Some of the strategies to minimize and prevent medication errors include prescriber training and education, teamwork and supervision, incorporating input from the pharmacists, and utilizing electronic prescribing systems (Sutton et al., 2020).

Conclusion

In summary, the medication error is associated with ethical and legal concerns to the stakeholders. Laws guide disclosure and non-disclosure of medical errors. Nurse practitioners should be informed about safe prescribing practices. Organizations should adopt strategies to minimize medical and medication errors.

References

Mansour, R., Ammar, K., Al-Tabba, A., Arawi, T., Mansour, A., & Al-Hussaini, M. (2020). Disclosure of medical errors: Physicians’ knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) in an oncology center. BMC Medical Ethics, 21(1), 74. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-020-00513-2

Reiner, G. (2023). A Systematic Approach to Ethical Decision-making for Nurses. Healthecareers.Com. https://www.healthecareers.com/nurse-resources/the-pulse-february-2023/a-systematic-approach-to-ethical-decision-making-for-nurses

Ross, N. E., & Newman, W. J. (2021). The Role of Apology Laws in Medical Malpractice. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online. https://doi.org/10.29158/JAAPL.200107-20

Trockel, M. T., Menon, N. K., Rowe, S. G., Stewart, M. T., Smith, R., Lu, M., Kim, P. K., Quinn, M. A., Lawrence, E., Marchalik, D., Farley, H., Normand, P., Felder, M., Dudley, J. C., & Shanafelt, T. D. (2020). Assessment of Physician Sleep and Wellness, Burnout, and Clinically Significant Medical Errors. JAMA Network Open, 3(12), e2028111. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.28111

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Sample Answer for NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS

Ethical and Legal Implications

Strategies to Address Disclosure and Non-Disclosure

Strategies to Guide Decision Making

Errors

Conclusion

Also Read:

References

Sample Answer 2 for NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS

Ethical and Legal Implications

Disclosure and Non-disclosure

Decision Making

Writing Prescriptions

Conclusion

References

Sample Answer 3 for NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS

Ethical and Legal Implications

Strategies to Address Disclosure and Non-Disclosure

Strategies to Guide Decision Making

Process of Writing Prescriptions and Strategies to Minimize Medication Errors

Conclusion

References

Sample Answer 4 for NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS

Prescriber

Ethical Implications:

Legal Implications:

Pharmacist

Ethical Implications:

Legal Implications:

Patient and Patient’s Family

Disclosure

Non-Disclosure

Sample Answer 4 for NURS 6521 ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF PRESCRIBING DRUGS

Ethical and Legal Implications

Strategies to Address Disclosure and Non-disclosure

Strategies

Process of Writing Prescriptions

Conclusion

References

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