Ethical Concerns

Running head: ETHICAL cONCERNS 1

ETHICAL cONCERNS 4

Ethical Concerns

QuiEbonnie McDonald

Walden University

02/09/19

Nurs. 6512

Dr. V. Suresh

Ethical Concerns

As a nurse practitioner, there will be many times when a patient or their family are not in agreeance with the recommended treatment, or they are opposed to beneficial treatment recommendations. Ethical dilemmas are common in healthcare and nurse practitioners must be prepared to know how to effectively and professionally overcome them. The purpose of this paper is to explain what health assessment information is required and how the nurse practitioner can resolve the ethical dilemma of the parents of a five-year-old boy opposition to him receiving vaccinations before starting kindergarten.

Vaccines are given as preventative medicine to shield against diseases and infections. If patients and their parents refuse to get vaccinations, the nurse practitioner must assess the reasons why they are against getting vaccinated. The following questions can be asked to the parent or caregiver to understand better why they refuse to vaccinate their child:

1. Can you explain why you have chosen not to vaccinate your son?

2. Are there any religious or cultural beliefs that have caused you to decide not to vaccinate?

3. Do you have any specific questions or concerns about immunizations?

4. Tell me what it is that you know about vaccinations and why they are given?

5. Do you understand the importance of vaccinating and how they prevent deadly diseases and illnesses?

6. Are you aware that choosing not to vaccinate places your son at an increased risk of contracting a life-threatening disease or illness?

7. Are you aware that some school districts will not allow children to enroll or attend without being vaccinated and having up to date vaccinations?

Parents have the right to refuse to vaccinate; practitioners should remain objective, but provide the parent(s) with factual information regarding vaccinations and the health of the child. The CDC advises that practitioners should strongly recommend vaccinations emphasizing the importance of the shots protecting the child from serious disease, help the parents understand the risks to other members of the community, and precautionary responsibilities for parents (CDC, 2018). Healthcare decisions regarding individual children fall into several categories including child autonomy, best interests, the harm principle, family-oriented views, and micro-economic analysis (Arora, Morris, & Jacobs, 2018). According to Hendrix, Strum, Zimet, & Meslin (2016) beneficence and nonmaleficence are invoked regarding vaccination as the benefits and harm to individuals and communities are seen to be in dispute, and it speaks to the foundational importance of respect for personal autonomy insofar as the individual choice is a hallmark of informed consent. Practitioners must find ways to honor the informed decisions that parents and caregivers wish to make while protecting those who are not capable of being vaccinated themselves. The role of the practitioner when parents refuse to vaccinate is to provide parents with the risk and benefit information necessary to make an informed decision and to attempt to correct any misinformation or misperceptions that may exist (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2019).

References American Academy of Pediatrics. (2019). Immunizations: Refusal to Vaccinate. Retrieved from https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/immunizations/Pages/refusal-to-vaccinate.aspx Arora, K.S., Morris, J., & Jacobs, A.J. (2018). Refusal of vaccination: A test to balance societal and individual interests, The Journal of Clinical Ethics, 29(3), 206-216. Retrieved from http://clinicalethics.com/single_article/HHhdXzbwQA.pdf CDC. (2018). Talking with parents about vaccines for infants. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/conversations/talking-with-parents.html Hendrix, K. S., Sturm, L. A., Zimet, G. D., & Meslin, E. M. (2016). Ethics and Childhood Vaccination Policy in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 106(2), 273-278. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2015.302952