Discussion: Ethical Concerns

Discussion: Ethical Concerns
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Discussion: Ethical Concerns
Scenario 1:
The parents of a 5-year-old boy have accompanied their son to his required physical examination before starting kindergarten. His parents are opposed to him receiving any vaccines.
As an advanced nurse, I will carry out a physical examination and advice the parents regarding vaccination. Some of the physical examinations will include “weight and height” measurement. I will also assess the kid’s cognitive and social development. I will make sure the parents know well that kids are at very high risk of being infected with diseases since their immune system do not have yet the required defense mechanisms for fighting diseases and infections. Although vaccination has been considered to be an effective means of future disease prevention, some concerns have been raised regarding its safety. In some degree, parents have been reluctant to take their children for vaccination due to genuine factors Vaccination has been deemed healthy by health experts around the world in an attempt to secure the health of children as they grow into adults. (“National, State, and Selected Local Area Vaccination Coverage Among Children Aged 19–35 Months — the United States, 2013”, 2018).

Scenario 5:
A 17-year-old boy has come in for a check-up after a head injury during a football game. He has indicated that he would like to be able to play in the next game, which is in 3 days.
As an advanced nursing practitioner, I will ensure the patient knows how critical head injuries could be.

Even though, quality healthcare is nowadays achieved in the hospitals, rehabilitative care, and many other places. The expansion in this sector has made it easier for patients to receive the quality treatment that they desire. The healthcare delivery was introduced to ensure that patients get affordable health care within the sector. Some factors including the reduction of healthcare cost in the health industry and the length of time that patients take in hospitals while awaiting treatment have been discussed and solutions implemented. I will advise the 17-year-old to have bed rest and not participate in the game.

Scenario 6:
A 12-year-old girl has come in for a routine check-up and has not yet received the HPV vaccine. Her family is very religious and believes that the vaccine would encourage premarital sexual activity.
Vaccines are very vital for the prevention of future diseases. The pharmaceutical industry has been engulfed in controversy regarding the fraud allegations that some parents have reported when vaccinating their children. Some health physicians do not do thorough research regarding the right vaccine to administer to the children when securing their future health. While this has been a past case reported, other cases involving unreliable research regarding vaccination has also come up in some quarters. Dr. Richard Horton, the editor-in-chief of The Lancet, brought to the attention of the public the illegitimacy of vaccination (WORCESTER, 2012). He stated, “The case against science is straightforward: much of the scientific literature, perhaps half, may simply be untrue. Afflicted by studies with small sample sizes, tiny effects, invalid exploratory analyses, and flagrant conflicts of interest, together with an obsession for pursuing fashionable trends of dubious importance, science has taken a turn towards darkness” (Geier & Geier, 2006). His assertion came on the heels of many parent’s uncertainties regarding the vaccination process. Professor Lucija Tomljenovic also strengthens the fraud claims by uncovering many documents regarding the dangers that vaccination drugs caused to the children. The worst part of his recovery of the documents was that many health officials in the industry including the manufacturers of the vaccines knew about the danger that the vaccines pose to the lives of children. He handed the documents to the relevant authorities to try and restore order in the industry. The “Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization” wrote a statement regarding the issue that read, “Continuous efforts to withhold critical data on severe adverse reactions and contraindications to vaccinations to both parents and health practitioners to reach overall vaccination rates” (Geier & Geier, 2006). I will advise the parents to consider this and disregard any of their religious beliefs.
References
Geier, D., & Geier, M. (2006). An Evaluation of the Effects of Thimerosal on Neurodevelopmental Disorders Reported Following DTP and Hib Vaccines in Comparison to DTPH Vaccine in the United States. Journal Of Toxicology And Environmental Health, Part A, 69(15), 1481-1495. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15287390500364556National, State, and Selected Local Area Vaccination Coverage Among Children Aged 19–35 Months — the United States, 2013. (2018). Cdc.gov. Retrieved 1 February 2018, from https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6334a1.htm
WORCESTER, S. (2012). Many Kids Still Missing Out on Pneumococcal Vaccination. Family Practice News, 42(7), 28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0300-7073(12)70333-x