While working in acute hospital as a nurse, I have come across countless situations that demonstrated ethical drift. In this particular incidence, accident casualties were brought and it was difficult to offer them equal attention, as we were only three nurses on duty. At the same time, priority care was supposed to be given to those in critical state (Ulrich et al. 2010). We were supposed to handle over fifty victims, and most were on the floor. It was simply difficult to guarantee them privacy with curtains in such a condition. We tried our best to handle the situation, but we could not guarantee privacy considering the victims were more than us (Ulrich et al. 2010). In the event we covered the casualties with curtains, it would have been difficult to experience carry out cardiac monitor more so while offering care to other victims. We offered the patients some blankets to cover themselves (Ulrich et al. 2010). Although we handled the situation in the most appropriate way, an ethical drift was evident in respecting the privacy of the victims owing to the serious shortage of staff and beds.
Following the knowledge I have gained from this course, I am better placed to handle an ethical drift in the future (Ulrich et al. 2010). For instance, in terms of ensuring patient privacy is protected during emergencies, the best approach is to utilize the available resources to cover them, while at the same time seeking back up from colleagues to bridge the shortage of staff. However, I have come to learn that, practicing patient privacy during emergency situations is difficult, and it also depends with the situation (Ulrich et al. 2010). I believe that, saving the life of a patient should be given priority, while privacy and respect should come later. However, the course has taught me that, in an emergency situation, the bottom line should be to take care of every patient irrespective of the gender, race, and culture among others (Ulrich et al. 2010).
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References
Ulrich, C. M., Taylor, C., Soeken, K., O'Donnell, P., Farrar, A., Danis, M., & Grady, C. (2010). Everyday ethics: ethical issues and stress in nursing practice. Journal of advanced nursing, 66(11), 2510–2519. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2010.05425.x
