Introduction
Dignity is an integral concept in nursing because it determines the quality of care. In healthcare, dignity means offering care that supports an individual’s self-respect, understanding their capabilities, and does not cause harm (Simões & Sapeta, 2019). When people are treated with kindness, it raises their value and self-worth while preserving their dignity. Mutual respect and dignity are crucial concepts because they put theories into action. In the case scenario, Martha is not treated with the dignity she deserves. Due to security issues, the carer comes at 7 p.m. instead of 10 p.m. to help her get to bed. The ethical concepts that explain Martha’s case are beneficence, non-maleficence, code of ethics, autonomy, the principle of human rights, duty of care, and distributive justice. This paper will address ethical concepts, how to achieve effective communication, and reflect on the case scenario.
Ethical Concepts
Beneficence
The principle of beneficence is among the most important ethical concepts that guide healthcare operations. According to Beach & Sugarman (2019), beneficence is based on the idea that providers should act to benefit patients, remove conditions that can cause harm, and help those who are disabled. The concept calls for healthcare providers to act to benefit a patient and promote their welfare. Considering the case of Martha, the carers were not acting at her benefit when they were coming at 7 p.m. rather than 10 p.m. to take her to bed. The carer’s action may contribute to Martha’s physical and emotional harm. Based on this principle, the carers are supposed to ensure that Martha is taken to bed at the appropriate time, 10 p.m. As a result, beneficence ensures that a patient’s well-being and interests are considered during care.
Non-maleficence
The principle of non-maleficence gives healthcare providers the mandate of not harming their patients. Elton (2021) posits that the principle supports moral rules like do not kill, do not offend, do not cause pain or suffering, and do not deprive others of experiencing the goodness of life. In this case, the actions of Martha’s carers are against this principle because they cause suffering and deprive her of the ability to experience a normal life. To meet Martha’s needs, the home care organization’s management should solve the security issue that prevents the carers from coming at 10 p.m. to support her to bed. For example, the manager can hire security personnel to accompany the carers to the area. The manager of the organization can also consider having a carer who can stay with Martha and provide the services.
Autonomy
The principle of autonomy implies that patients have the right to make their own decision. It ensures that patients have all of the information they need to make an informed decision about their medical care. According to Johnstone (2019), autonomy is an ethical principle that shows that healthcare providers should have no say in the patient’s decision. In the provided case, Martha’s decision is for the carers to come and support her entering bed at 10 p.m. and not 7 p.m. The carers violated this principle by not respecting the decision of the patient. To mitigate this situation, the management of the home care organization should strive to make sure that a patient’s decision is respected and valued. As a result, Martha’s decision to be taken to bed at 10 p.m. should be taken seriously and followed.
Principle of Human Rights
Fundamental human rights should apply to all people, regardless of gender, color, or disability. Every human has the right to a quality living for themselves and their family, including food, clothing, shelter, medical care, other essential social services, and the right to safety (Wettstein et al., 2019). Martha has the right to live a comfortable life, while the carers have a right to security. These rights should not be deprived because they can affect an individual’s normal life. The management should balance by ensuring that Martha is supported to bed at 10 p.m. and carers are also secured. From the case, the carers’ security issue is the reason they come at 7 p.m. and not 10 p.m. Therefore, the rights of every party should be considered during care.
Duty of care
Duty of care is an important aspect of care, and many providers consider it a crucial part of their profession. A provider’s moral obligation is to safeguard others from harm during care. According to Græger & Leira (2019), a duty of care is breached when a provider fails to act reasonably to prevent unforeseeable harm to their client. This ethical concept appears to be antagonistic in Martha’s case because the carers are forcing her to sleep at 7 p.m. against her will. The actions of the carers are causing psychological harm to Martha. To mitigate the situation, the organization’s managers should create a culture where the safety of patients is a priority. As a result, they should ensure that all the actions and decisions of healthcare providers protect the patients from harm.
Nurses’ Code of Ethics
A code of ethics is an important ethical concept that guides nurses’ operations in practice. The first provision of the code of ethics requires nurses to retain the patient’s dignity during their interaction and treatment (Poorchangizi et al., 2019). The nurse must treat the patient with compassion and care, regardless of personal differences. In addition, the nurse must treat all patients equally regardless of their condition or illness. However, in the case scenario, the carers failed to uphold the dignity of Martha because she was disabled. The carers action was influenced by the fact that Martha could not help herself in the situation. Therefore, the carers should be informed that it is their mandate to ensure that the patient is regaining as much power as possible while still acknowledging the patient’s desire for self-determination.
The second provision of the code of ethics incorporates the idea that the nurses’ first concern is the patient. They must seek to directly advance the patient’s best interests in all circumstances. A nurse may have a conflict of interest with the patient’s family, another healthcare professional, or the patient’s health insurance company (Olson & Stokes, 2016). For instance, some providers encourage nurses to minimize expenses or take actions, not in the patient’s best interests. As shown in Martha’s case, the carer’s actions were against the patient’s interest. The carers acted based on their interest because they were more concerned about their security. The managers should make the carers understand that the patients should be their first concern to mitigate the situation. Thus, the provision presents a notion that patients are supposed to be a priority of healthcare providers during care.
The fourth provision of the code of ethics shows that nurses are accountable and responsible for their actions. They are obligated to ensure that their actions and decisions protect and promote patients’ health (Olson & Stokes, 2016). In the case study, despite the complaints by Martha, the carers were still coming at 7 p.m. Based on this code, the carers are responsible for any psychological harm caused to Martha due to their actions and decisions. The managers of home care organizations should ensure that carers understand that they are responsible for their actions. They are supposed to refrain from decisions that might emotionally or physically harm their patients. This means that they should make informed decisions with their patients in mind.
Distributive Justice
Distributive justice is concerned with the distribution of resources within a community. According to Shaibu et al. (2021), distributive justice presumes that services should be offered fairly. Equal labor should result in equal outcomes in terms of products obtained or the ability to obtain goods for all individuals. Distributive justice does not exist when equal labor fails to achieve equal outcomes. Martha could not get adequate care in the case study because healthcare staff do not work late at night and are unsure of their safety. The manager of a home care organization should ensure that every patient gets adequate care. Healthcare services should be distributed fairly to all patients regardless of their location, gender, and disabled.
Effective Communication and Interpersonal Skills
Communication is an important tool for the effective delivery of healthcare services. Methangkool et al. (2019) define communication as the transfer of messages or expressions of emotion or feelings from one person to another. Effective communication entails the proper delivery of information appropriately and with clarity. This means that the recipient should be able to understand exactly what is being said. During care, healthcare providers need to master the art of listening attentively to patients and responding effectively. In addition, interpersonal skills are seen as an effective form of communication. There are several ways the staff can maintain effective communication to deliver the best care to Martha. Therefore, adopting the right communication strategy is important in providing quality care.
The first way of attaining effective communication is having open and transparent communication with the patient. People who engage in open communication freely share open, honest, constant, and reliable information (Mertens et al., 2019). Employees who communicate openly and assertively share their views, sentiments, emotions, and plans. This enables health providers to build trust with patients and make them feel valued. For example, in this case, the carers should clearly explain to Martha why they are unable to offer their services at 10 p.m. With open communication, Martha should be able to understand and work together with the carers to develop a suitable strategy. As a result, having transparent communication enhances trust and improves collaboration.
The second strategy one can use is developing an approachable attitude. Most of the communication is non-verbal, and using the right words means nothing if the body language says otherwise (Mertens et al., 2019). As a result, it is integral for the staff to be conscious of their attitude, especially when communicating with patients. A friendly and positive attitude determines how another person reads the message and reacts. For example, when the carer explains to Martha positively that security in the area is why they do not work late at night, she may understand the situation. This will eliminate misunderstandings between the staff of the home care organization and Martha. Therefore, a positive attitude plays an integral in fostering effective communication.
The third strategy an individual can use is accepting feedback and responding promptly. Feedback is an essential component of communication since it enables a speaker to evaluate the efficiency of their message (Tate & Frame, 2019). It is the final component or link in the communication chain. Martha’s numerous concerns demonstrate that she was not receiving any response to the matter. It is impossible to finish the communication process without feedback. It is an important aspect of the communication process. For example, communication was incomplete in the case scenario because Martha could not get appropriate feedback. The staff needs to cultivate a culture of giving objective feedback to the patient. They should explain why they are not acting as per request of Martha. As a result, the problem was not solved in the long run, leading to a frustrated Martha.
The fourth way is for a provider to attain effective communication is by keeping patients updated regularly. Effective communication is achieved when patients are frequently informed about aspects that concern them during care (Tate & Frame, 2019). In addition, patients are likely to feel more connected to the healthcare organization when they are updated on what is happening, especially on matters that touch on their services. For instance, Martha should have been told that the carer was not working late due to security issues. Therefore, patients have the right to be informed about anything that affects their health.
To maintain effective communication, the staff in the case study should adopt a two-way communication model. In the workplace, feedback is critical for generating results, with the primary goal of strengthening progress toward company goals (Methangkool et al., 2019). However, when the staff provides feedback, he or she makes the mistake of turning it into a one-way conversation. In this case, patients are not allowed to express their opinions or concerns. Encouraging two-way feedback is a hallmark of effective communication and will enable the patient to self-evaluate. It is also important for the staff to provide comprehensive comments to a patient to improve team communication. In addition, the staff can use his or her task management system to keep a written record of feedback, which can help improve overall communication and productivity. As a result, effective communication can be achieved when the staff adopts two-way communication.
The staff can foster a positive relationship with the patient to maintain effective communication. Communication in positive relationships helps individuals convey to someone else what they are going through and their requirements. The act of speaking not only aids in meeting their wants but also aids in keeping them linked in the relationship (Methangkool et al., 2019). A good relationship with the patient creates a culture of sharing anything, including problems. When a staff has a positive relationship with a patient, they are more likely to be cautious about the words they use. In addition, a positive relationship enables one to make a clear message for the other person to hear effectively and understand what it means. It enables communicators to adopt a good tone and share positive feelings during communication. As a result, a good relationship between staff and patients is important in maintaining effective communication.
A provider can also integrate compassion with communication to achieve effective communication. Compassionate communication is the ability to share one’s views and ideas with another person while empathizing with their pain and worry (Tate & Frame, 2019). It entails active listening as well as comprehension of verbal and nonverbal communication cues. Although compassionate communication has always been important in medicine, the increasing emphasis on patient-centered treatment has revealed its importance. For example, the staff can be empathetic when communicating with the patient. During care, the staff should adopt compassionate communication to ensure that a patient’s interest is considered. As a result, being compassionate enables staff to communicate with a patient effectively.
One can incorporate a patient’s dignity into communication by responding effectively and timely. To achieve effective communication in care, dignified and respect-based communication is vital (Tate & Frame, 2019). An individual should have the opportunity to say what they prefer, and staff should have a good understanding of the person they are assisting. In addition, a healthcare provider must learn new techniques to communicate with patients who have special needs, such as being disabled. Finally, the staff should make sure that they feel valued and respected. For example, it was very easy for Martha to feel devalued when her complaints were not being taken seriously in the case. Thus, communication becomes effective when the staff incorporates respect and value for every human being regardless of their situation.
Reflection Part
The case of Martha has enabled me to learn the significance of treating patients with dignity and respect regardless of their situation. I learned that every health professional should uphold dignity as a core value because it affects the provision of quality care. According to Simões and Sapeta (2019), dignity is considered a multifaceted concept. Each human being is treated as an individual who should be treated with respect, retain their autonomy, respect their privacy, and exercise their right to choose. As a medical provider, I learned important lessons from this case, especially about how one should deal with patients. For example, Martha should have been treated with dignity regardless of her situation. Therefore, the case study has contributed to my learning, self-development, and practice in understanding dignity and respect.
Contribution to My Learning
As a healthcare, I have learned the value of applying ethical concepts during practice. Ethical values are universal rules of conduct that provide a practical basis for identifying what actions, intentions, and motives are valued. I discovered their significance by applying various ethical principles to Martha’s case. For example, the principle of benevolence presents the notion that providers should act to benefit patients, get rid of situations that can cause harm, and assist individuals with a disability. In addition, the case revealed to me that human rights should be incorporated into practice to enhance quality care. As a result, ethical or moral concepts help providers make informed decisions during care.
In addition, I learned the significance of integrating compassion and respect with communication during care. Compassionate communication is defined as the ability to express one’s thoughts and ideas with another person while empathizing with their sorrow and anxiety. This concept requires attentive listening as well as understanding verbal and nonverbal communication cues. When healthcare providers respect a patient, they will be obliged to share any information affecting their well-being. For example, in this case, if the carer respected and valued Martha, he or she should have explained to her the reason for not coming at 10 p.m. Therefore, the situation in the case showed me that a combination of moral conduct and communication is integral for quality care.
Self-development
From the case scenario, I discovered that I needed to work on my personality. I am supposed to work on my communication skills. I have to be a good listener, communicate clearly through speech and writing, respond to patients regularly, and adopt a positive attitude during care. I also require flexible thinking to make appropriate decisions and find solutions to patients’ problems. In this case, the carer needed flexible thinking to respond to Martha’s situation effectively. For example, the carer should have devised another strategy rather than coming at 10 p.m. against Martha’s wish and interest. In addition, I need to constantly learn all the ethical concepts to allow me to make appropriate decisions. I should also adopt a culture where a patient becomes my top priority during care.
Conclusion
For healthcare providers to provide quality care, they must understand the concept of dignity and respect for patients. In healthcare, dignity refers to providing care that promotes an individual’s self-esteem, recognizes their skills, and does not damage them. When people are treated with respect, it raises their value and self-worth while maintaining their dignity. Mutual respect and dignity are crucial concepts because they implement theories and policies. In this scenario, Martha is not treated with the respect she is due as a human being. The caregiver arrives at 7 p.m. rather than 10 p.m. to assist her in getting to bed. Beneficence, non-maleficence, code of ethics, and autonomy are ethical notions that describe the situations in the case.
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