Ethical Dilemma in Nursing Case Study Presentation

Apart from the patient’s confrontation, her relatives were able to convince her to stay at the hospital since there was a small chance of being cured. Meanwhile, the doctors discovered that she was terminally ill and informed her family about this condition. Relatives, in collaboration with the medical personnel of the hospital, agreed not to inform the patient about her state, as they believed that it would help her regain hope. To support this scenario, family members started planning vacations after her release from the hospital. Unfortunately, the outcome of this situation was rather negative, as the patient died without knowing about her actual medical condition. Overall, the described situation involved relatives, medical professionals, and the patient as the main actors. It could be said that catering the needs of the family created ethical dilemmas for nurses, as they had to lie and be dishonest to the patient. This type of problem often takes place, but it is still unclear whether physicians should disclose the diagnosis to the terminally ill patients or not since it has its both advantages and disadvantages.