Ethics

State Regulations and Nursing Standards

There's a clear nursing standard of practice that needs to be upheld in this case which is the act of following federal laws, largely the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA). Passed by Congress in 1990, "the law mandates that in healthcare institutions that receive Medicare or Medicaid funding, patients must be informed in writing upon the admission of 1) their right to accept or refuse treatment, (2) their rights under existing state laws regarding advance directives, and (3) any policies the institution has regarding the with-holding or withdrawing of life sustaining treatments (Ulrich, 1999, p.9).

Thus, the implications as a result of the Patient Self-Determination Act are clear: Patients have the autonomy and independence to steer the direction their care takes if any at all. Medical professionals have an ethical, though more importantly a legal responsibility and requirement to obey the wishes of the patient....
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