End-of-life care is among the most important topics in bioethics since there are many disagreements among care providers on what constitutes ethical end-of-life care. In the video on end-of-life care, Miller (2015) explains the value of a person-centered approach in such circumstances. According to the speaker, the typical conditions in healthcare institutions can make the experience of people at the end of life more stressful (Miller, 2015). When patients wish to die at home, they do so out of their desire for comfort and consolation. It is crucial for people to stay in comfortable environments near the end of life so that they could process their grief and die peacefully (Miller, 2015). Hence, in order to improve end-of-life care, it is essential to focus on people’s needs at this difficult time and take into account their emotional and psychological well-being.
Viewing the video was valuable for me because it highlighted common issues faced by people at the end of life. The video also suggests ways in which providers can fulfill their ethical duty to patients nearing the end of life. Using a holistic approach to care and listening to patients’ wishes can help care providers in ensuring that end-of-life patients spend their last days in a comfortable environment. The video also drew my attention to the need for patient advocacy in end-of-life settings, since nurses can lead change in how end-of-life patients are treated.
Population and community health is also a significant ethical concern for care providers. In the assigned case, Dr. Lanza did not alert the authorities of the need to close beaches due to red tide and its potential danger to people. In the study of environmental health, the role of care providers in preventing harm to people from external circumstances is stipulated (Harkness & DeMarco, 2016). The responses of Dr. Lanza during the interview indicated that the red tide poses a threat to people’s health under certain circumstances. From the viewpoint of environmental and community health, it would have been ethical for Dr. Lanza to explain the situation to local authorities and request for beaches to be closed. This could have prevented the negative outcome that resulted in the news media.
References
Harkness, G.A. & DeMarco, R.F. (2016). Community and public health nursing: Evidence for practice (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
Miller, B. J. (2015).What really matters at the end of life [Video file]. Web.