Knowledge Of Information

Knowledge of Information


DESCRIPTION OF THE CASE:


Ralph is a recent widower in his midi-60's, who was diagnosed with

metatastasized colon cancer. He is a home health agency patient, and his primary

caregivers are his two daughters.  Ralph is unaware of the severity of his

condition and wanted to know what his state of health and prognosis were. The

nurse evaded his questions initially, and his daughters did not want to tell him

that his cancer was terminal. The nurse's position was not to continue providing

care for Ralph, as she would be deceiving him by not telling him the truth.

When the nurse consulted with Ralph's physician, he agreed with the family's

decision, as he felt that they needed time to accept their mother's recent death

and Ralph's impending death. The doctor ordered the nurse not to oppose him and

not to disclose any further infomation to Ralph.


THE PRINCIPLE:  TRUTH-TELLING & DECEPTION (Should be "FIDELITY")


In most cases, a rational person has a right to truthful information and

avoidance of deception, which will allow him to decide which course of treatment

to follow. A patient's right to decide includes the right to know the truth, not

be brainwashed, and not be lied to or deceived by having information withheld

that is relevant to his own health. There is a moral standard that condemns lies,

deception and withholding of relevant information.  To tell Ralph that

"everything was all right and he would be up and around the house in no time at

all" is deceptive, as his condition is terminal, although he does not yet

realize it.


The ANA Standards of Clinical Nursing Practice states that clients should be

educated about ther illness, which is subsumed within Standards of Care (p3).

In Standard V-Ethics (p15), measurement criteria #3 states th
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