Patient Autonomy and Ethics at the Beginning of life
Variables that impact pregnant woman’s autonomy related to abortion and the types of interventions for conception
The abortion debate has split the social fabric into pro-life and pro-choice activists. The issues regarding the financial situation, medical condition, and society’s stigmatization of pregnancy out of wedlock are among the key variables of women’s autonomy that effectively deny women the right to autonomously decide their own fates regarding abortion without drawing public interest (Abortion Review, 2010; Hewson, 2001).
Therefore, in this regard, types of interventions that exist as options for conception include activism that advocates for policy formulation that allows women to take care of their own health issues regarding abortion and child bearing. Another intervention concept regards provision for women to access professional abortion services when clinically determined that such provisions could be life-saving (Abortion Review, 2010).
Patient Autonomy and Ethics in Childhood and Adolescence
Plastic surgery among adolescent patients
Adolescents’ cosmetic surgery is not a new practice. However, it has recently been a topical subject in the media. There are concerns regarding the ethical acceptability of this procedure. The most important sources of information for adolescents contemplating cosmetic surgery are television and magazines—the media projects instant solutions that may distort facts and express unrealistic expectations. In as much as parents’ consent must be sought before a surgery is scheduled, the ultimate choice lies with the adolescent (Bermant, 2005). However, it is appropriate to mention that such a procedure like this that does not have a lot of flexibility when it comes to reversibility has to be approached with caution and care.
Patient Autonomy and Ethics in End-of-Life Care
Making decisions about chronic care and end-of-life care
Several issues impair the decision of practitioners regarding end-of-life care. These include; misconception of legal and ethical implications of the treatment and unfamiliarity with practical ways to apply the practice. The nurse must prepare and implement a plan through consultations with the family. Many states consider it legal to withhold or withdraw health care to end-of-life care patients provided due process followed (Arenella et al., 2010). Being that this care is usually challenging given the transitional hardship, pain, and desperation that at times characterize it, appropriate training is imperative for all who see to engage in it.
References
Abortion Review. (2010). Motherhood, abortion and parenting culture. Web.
Arenella, C., Yox, S., Eckstein, D.S., & Ousley, A. (2010). Expanding the reach of a cancer palliative care curriculum through Web-based dissemination: public-private collaboration. The Official Journal of the American Association for Cancer Education, 25(3), 418-21.
Bermant, M. (2005). Ethics of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery in Adolescents. Virtual Mentor, 7(3). Web.
Hewson, B. (2001). Reproductive autonomy and the ethics of abortion. Journal of Medical Ethics, 27(2). Web.