Introduction
My current goal is to complete my studies and eventually become a competent and dedicated RN. To achieve this goal, I am planning to complete the necessary academic studies and acquire the needed certifications for my future role. My area of expertise is that of clinical care delivery. Over the years, I have been engaging in lifelong learning to acquire evidence-based ideas for supporting the changing needs of my patients. The specific information that stood out for me from the exercise is the issue of patient autonomy. I was keen to focus on its possible implications for practitioner experience and patient health outcomes. This presentation relies on literature research and review to shed more light on this critical attribute.
Background
The completed interview was intended to present more information about nurses’ experiences in their units and some of the challenges they encountered while providing services to their patients. The exercise was necessary to learn more about emerging medical needs, the process of delegation, and the role of practitioners in meeting the changing needs of different patients (Black, 2017). Although several topics emerged from the exercise, the problematic concern of patient autonomy needed further analysis and research.
The professional was selected for the completed interview since she was aware of effective nursing practices, emerging concerns, and the best approaches to offering patient-centered care. She was involved and willing to provide timely responses throughout the interview process (Black, 2017). The successful completion of the exercise made it possible for me to complete this investigation and deliver useful insights that can help future researchers and practitioners improve the nature of care delivery.
Patient’s Values, Morals, and Beliefs
Past scholars have examined the issue of patient’s values and beliefs from different perspectives. For instance, Hansson and Froding (2021) observed that there was a need for professionals to address the concerns of their patients through the concept of patient autonomy. Professionals could consider the importance of sensitizing the targeted beneficiaries about that intended medical practice and how it could meet their health demands (Black, 2017). They were required to promote an expert responsibility and provide much-needed support.
Based on the recorded situation, it would be wrong for practitioners to compel or force a patient to a patient to accept a specific medical process or procedure. Most of the studies completed in the past have revealed that such a practice amounts to practical and sustainable care delivery (Hansson & Froding, 2021). The involvement of key stakeholders was necessary to reduce possible challenges. In the studied case, the interviewee explained how one of the patients refused amputation, a choice that led to his sudden demise.
Patient Autonomy
The reason why the specific question was posed to the respondent was because patient autonomy remains a common attribute in the process of care delivery. Nurses and physicians who embrace the idea find it easier to establish desirable relationships with their patients. The beneficiary is allowed and entitled to his or her religious, cultural, and personal values (Hansson & Froding, 2021). When such attributes compel the individual to make unanticipated choices, the common ground is that the practitioner would not have an option.
The involvement of family members and the consideration of their religious beliefs is an essential practice if the team members are to uphold the concept (Molina-Mula & Gallo-Estrada, 2020). From a theoretical perspective, patient autonomy remains practical and capable of improving the overall experiences of the involved patients. Clinicians who embrace the idea will establish meaningful relationships with their clients, identify possible differences, and solve them in a professional manner (Molina-Mula & Gallo-Estrada, 2020). They will apply their cultural competencies and consider the best ways to uphold the rights of such individuals.
Violation of Patient Autonomy
From the completed interview, it emerged that the RN encountered a challenging scenario whereby one of the patients refused amputation. The individual made such a decision even when the available evidence showed that positive health outcomes and experiences could have been recorded. Such a dilemma compelled to RN to apply the concept of autonomy and promote the patient’s beliefs and rights (Molina-Mula & Gallo-Estrada, 2020). These issues can have negative impacts on the facility and the involved caregivers.
In most instances, medical professionals can choose to ignore the expectations and viewpoints of the patient to deliver the best care. However, such a practice could result in the violation of the patient’s rights. In such a scenario, an ethical dilemma emerges whereby the involved practitioners should make the most appropriate choices (Molina-Mula & Gallo-Estrada, 2020). The ultimate aim, according to many theorists in the field of nursing, should be to serve the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of the patient. In the studied case, the professionals were compelled to honor the wishes of the individual even if he had decided to refuse amputation.
Need for Policy Improvement?
The studied case reveals that patient autonomy could at times deliver negative health outcomes or experiences. In the selected scenario, the patient ignored an evidence-based medical process that could have resulted in improved medical outcomes. The proposed amputation was a timely procedure capable of helping the patient and ensuring that he dealt with his medical condition. However, the RN revealed that the involved professionals were unable to force the individual to accept the procedure. Such a choice was informed by the idea of honoring people’s cultural values and moral attributes (Black, 2017). The approach led to negative outcomes since the patient died a few days later after the medical condition worsened.
The described case from the completed interview shows how patient-centered care remains critical in the sector. Professionals in different clinical settings should examine the views and expectations of their patients before providing any form of medical support. However, some of the choices patients make, such as refusing amputation could result in poor health experiences and outcomes for the identified patients. Hansson and Fröding (2021) indicate that there is a need for stakeholders to start examining the nature of these possible conflicts from an informed perspective. They can consider proper strategies to educate, engage, and mentor patients to start appreciating the available procedures. The proposed approach could be critical for transforming the sector and meeting the changing needs of more professionals. The emerging ideas can help reshape the overall nature of nursing practice and ensure that all activities are pursued in such a way that they deliver positive results.
Transforming Patient Care
The concept of patient-centered care remains practical and capable of meeting the needs of more individuals with diverse backgrounds. Professionals in the field of health need to appreciate such an approach as an evidence-based practice (Hansson & Fröding, 2021). The involved experts can consider the recorded patient situation when planning to introduce a specific medical procedure.
Whenever dilemmas emerge, practitioners will have to put the primary needs of the patient into consideration. The workers will consider the available resources and clinical procedures that are available and capable of meeting the patient’s needs (Black, 2017). When done properly, the professionals will secure the best procedure, liaise with the client and family members to accept it, and eventually focus on the best ways to deliver positive outcomes.
Before undertaking this specific exercise, I had appreciated patient autonomy as a powerful attribute capable of supporting the needs of beneficiaries in healthcare settings. Practitioners who took the idea seriously found it easier to meet the changing needs of their patients. However, such an approach could be problematic especially when some of the individuals refuse available clinical procedures (Black, 2017). This analysis guided me to understand how ethical dilemmas could emerge during the delivery of care and patient support. Without engaging and educating the beneficiary, the chances of recording negative outcomes were high in the presence of conflicting interests or beliefs. Despite such outcomes, the work encouraged me to continue to take the idea of patient autonomy seriously since it was capable of delivering positive results.
I have found the emerging viewpoints from the completed exercise timely and meaningful. The selected interviewee did not provide responses that conflicted with most of the insights found in past literature. However, the observations reveal that some of the decisions made to support patients’ beliefs and values could at times amount to poor health outcomes. If a patient dies when an evidence-based practice was available, more people might lose trust in the current care delivery practices (Black, 2017). Based on this form of understanding, it becomes necessary for the involved professionals to consider a renewed approach that has the potential to mitigate the recorded challenges. By educating patients and family members about the current treatment procedures and their benefits, it can become possible for medical facilities to achieve their goals.
Application of Emerging Knowledge
The completed interview has identified patients’ beliefs and values as instrumental and worth considering whenever making care delivery decisions. Such a practice resonates with the foundational attribute of patient autonomy. However, some conflicts tend to emerge when patients rely on their belief systems to deny most of the available procedures. Such occurrences worsen the overall experiences and outcomes of such individuals. In my future practice, I would complete additional leadership roles and apply most of the insights gained from this work.
I am planning to combine the notions of patient education and autonomy to develop a strong model for introducing most medical procedures. As a leader, it is appropriate to collaborate with my followers, make timely decisions, and present guidelines for meeting the needs of more patients (Black, 2017). It will be possible to liaise with family members of the admitted individuals to ensure that they accept most of the evidence-based procedures. Such a strategy will increase the chances of recording positive outcomes and transforming the image of the selected facility positively.
Conclusion
The completed analysis has presented more information about patient autonomy and how it supports individuals’ beliefs, values, and excitations. However, some challenges and conflicts might emerge if the beneficiaries’ attributes compel them to deny evidence-based medical procedures. The process of patient education becomes crucial since it can equip individuals with an additional understanding of the existing evidence-based practices.
References
Black, B. P. (2017). Professional nursing: Concepts and challenges (8th ed.). Elsevier.
Hansson, S. O., & Froding, B. (2021). Ethical conflicts in patient-centered care. Clinical Ethics, 16(2), 55-66.
Molina-Mula, J., & Gallo-Estrada, J. (2020). Impact of impact of nurse-patient relationship on quality of care and patient autonomy in decision-making. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(3), 835-858.