Scenario 1: The parents of a 5-year old boy have accompanied their son for his required physical examination before starting kindergarten. His parents are opposed to him receiving any vaccines.
In this scenario, we are presented with a case where the parents of a 5-year old boy are opposed to the vaccination of their child. The child is required to undergo a physical examination before joining kindergarten. However, parents do not want their children to receive any vaccines. Vaccines are one of the most preventive measures used to improve the health outcomes of children. It is crucial to immunize children as well as to conduct their health assessments, especially those under the age of 5 (Diekema, 2015). However, due to religious, cultural, personal, and philosophical reasons, some parents refuse to vaccinate their children (McKee & Bohannon, 2016). Other factors that influence parents’ decisions include trust, accessibility, and security issues. It appears that the parents have trust issues. They do not trust the intervention. Moreover, it is highly likely that the parents are concerned about the safety of the vaccines. As an advanced practised nurse (APN), it is vital to conduct a thorough physical examination as well as assess the health history of the child even after the parents refuse to let their child get vaccinated. This will help determine the most appropriate interventions.
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It would also be important to determine why the parents are opposed to vaccinating their child and what influenced their attitudes. This includes determining their religious beliefs and personal reasons for not vaccinating their son. Sometimes, parents rely on non-reliable information to make decisions. This information is usually obtained from misinformed people and unofficial internet sources. It is vital to provide relevant information to parents in order to help them make informed decisions (Chervenak et al., 2016). As an APN, I am ethically obliged to inform parents of their right to refusal. At the same time, I am ethically obliged to inform parents of the benefits of vaccines as well as the risk associated with not vaccinating a child. Educating the parents on the benefits of immunization will help them make informed decisions.
References
Chervenak, F. A., McCullough, L. B., & Brent, R. L. (2016). Professional responsibility and early childhood vaccination. The Journal of Pediatrics , 169 , 305-309.
Diekema, D. S. (2015). Physician dismissal of families who refuse vaccination: an ethical assessment. The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics , 43 (3), 654-660.
McKee, C., & Bohannon, K. (2016). Exploring the reasons behind parental refusal of vaccines. The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics , 21 (2), 104-109.
