Differences between patients and their healthcare providers on the choice of treatment remain a challenge in the health practice and can strain the relationship between the professional nurse and the patients. Variances have arisen and drawn particular attention in the public, legal, health, and medical domains as the rejection of blood transfusion by patients. It is important to note that blood products play a vital role in saving lives and is often used to give considerable assistance to patients when used correctly. Therefore, there are notable risks accompanying blood transfusion where the choice to transfuse a patient is critical, and the decision should result from a discussion with the patient. This case will provide a review of patients who are believers of Jehovah Witness who decline blood transfusion and the associated ethical position of the healthcare team.
One of the features of Jehovah witnesses that distinguish them from among the many believers and religious doctrine is their denial to accept a blood transfusion. The medical care of Jehovah witnesses raises several ethical concerns when a patient’s choice conflicts with the nurse’s responsibility to offer valuable care without resulting to harm. Seeing that the patient under this case scenario has acute leukemia, which would require frequent blood transfusion exposes the patient to danger and risk of losing their life. This case depicts a precise collision of the central right to life and liberty to religious freedom. It should be clear that no power is complete since it may find restrictions in other rights whereby if a conflict arises, it is ethically acceptable to use the principle of harmonization (Petrini, 2014).
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Principal among the fundamentals of moral ethics is actual duties, prima facie, which explains that the practical functions of a nurse should be respected. It is a doctor’s responsibility to respect the patients will. Concerning this principle, first, the nurse practitioner should give priority to a patients’ wishes. However, this act would secondly interfere with a clinician’s duty to heal. Thus, moral and ethical principles consider refusal as an obstacle in emergency conditions where the patient is unconscious or threat to life is awaiting, the prevailing intervention would result to blood transfusion (Petrini, 2014).
A blood transfusion would fail, and a patient desire respected under cases of risk only when a patient recurrently and without restrictions refuses treatment with blood. From a personal point of view, the nurse practitioner would choose to adhere to a patient’s wishes while keeping in mind his duties and ethical principles alike in case of emergency. It is, however, the doctor’s responsibility to inform the patient of the possible consequences of the decline of blood transfusion and to provide alternative means that may be available. Due to the burden of conflict and obstacle emerging from Jehovah Witnesses beliefs, most hospitals have and should establish actions to provide their patients with the treatment they require. Individual patients differ in their choice, and it is worth noting the differences and create apparent predilections to suit each patient (Chand, Subramanya & Rao, 2014)
In conclusion, the healthcare team in this case scenario should bear in mind that above and beyond the protection of Jehovah Witnesses rights, they could also seek guidance from bioethical principles of making decisions such as the principle of life defense as a critical reference. The law of liberty and responsibility validates disagreement with Jehovah Witnesses rejection since obeying this objective would harm the moral conscience of the nursing profession. The healing policy, which allows for intervention where dangers and benefits are known, should also be considered.
References
Chand, N. K., Subramanya, H. B., & Rao, G. V. (2014). Management of patients who refuse blood transfusion. Indian journal of anaesthesia , 58 (5), 658.
Petrini, C. (2014). Ethical and legal aspects of refusal of blood transfusions by Jehovah’s Witnesses, with particular reference to Italy. Blood Transfusion , 12 (Suppl 1), s395.
