NURS 330: Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare – Module 3 Assessment: Ethical Decision-Making Case Study

Assessment Overview

Course: NURS 330 – Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare (Bachelor of Nursing / Allied Health)

Assessment Type: Written Case Study Analysis

Weighting: 35% of Final Grade

Length: 1,500 words (+/- 10%)

Submission Format: Word Document (.docx) via Canvas/Blackboard

Due Date: Monday of Week 6 at 09:00 AM

Context

In the clinical environment, you will inevitably face situations where the “right” course of action is unclear. Ethical dilemmas often arise when medical necessity conflicts with patient autonomy, or when resource allocation forces difficult choices. As a registered health professional, you are legally and ethically bound to navigate these conflicts using a structured approach rather than personal opinion. This assessment is designed to test your ability to apply established bioethical principles and relevant legal statutes to a complex patient scenario, ensuring you are ready for professional practice.

Task Description

You are required to select one of the three case scenarios provided in the Module 3 Learning Materials (e.g., The Refusal of Blood Transfusion, The Mature Minor, or End-of-Life Capacity). Using this scenario, write a formal academic paper that addresses the following components:

1. Legal Identification

Identify the primary legal issues present in the case. Depending on your jurisdiction (US/UK/Australia), this may involve Mental Health Acts, Guardianship legislation, or Common Law regarding consent and negligence. You must cite specific sections of the relevant act or case law.

2. Ethical Application

Analyze the scenario using Beauchamp and Childress’s Four Principles of Biomedical Ethics:

• Autonomy: Respecting the patient’s right to choose.
• Beneficence: Acting in the patient’s best interest.
• Non-maleficence: Doing no harm.
• Justice: Fairness in care delivery.

Discuss where these principles conflict (e.g., Autonomy vs. Beneficence) and how you prioritize them in this specific context.

3. Decision-Making Model

Apply a structured decision-making framework (such as the DECIDE model or the Gibbs Reflective Cycle) to outline the steps you would take to resolve the dilemma. This section should move from theory to practical action.

4. Professional Recommendation

Conclude with a definitive course of action. What should the nurse/practitioner do? Justify this decision based on your legal and ethical analysis.

Requirements & Formatting

• Word Count: 1,500 words. (Abstract and Reference list are excluded).
• Referencing: Use APA 7th Edition. You require a minimum of 8 scholarly sources published within the last 7 years.
• Tone: Academic and objective. Avoid first-person narrative (“I feel”) unless specifically applying a reflective model in section 3.

Grading Rubric / Marking Criteria

The primary ethical tension in this case lies between the principle of autonomy and the principle of beneficence. While the healthcare team aims to preserve life—a core tenet of beneficence—the patient’s competent refusal of the procedure must legally and ethically supersede medical advice. According to Beauchamp and Childress (2019), autonomy encompasses not only the right to consent but the right to refuse treatment, provided the patient possesses decision-making capacity. In this scenario, the patient demonstrated a clear understanding of the risks, including death, which satisfies the legal standard for informed refusal. Consequently, imposing treatment would constitute battery under common law and a violation of the patient’s bodily integrity. The nurse’s role shifts from active intervention to advocacy, ensuring the patient’s wishes are respected while providing palliative support to minimize suffering (non-maleficence). Documentation of this capacity assessment is critical to protect the healthcare facility from potential negligence claims.

References (APA Format)

• Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2019). Principles of biomedical ethics (8th ed.). Oxford University Press. https://global.oup.com/ushe/product/principles-of-biomedical-ethics-9780190640873
• Butts, J. B., & Rich, K. L. (2022). Nursing ethics: Across the curriculum and into practice (6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning. https://www.jblearning.com/catalog/productdetails/9781284259247
• Grace, P. J., & Uveges, M. K. (2022). Nursing ethics and professional responsibility in advanced practice (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning. https://www.jblearning.com/catalog/productdetails/9781284248326
• Johnstone, M. (2022). Bioethics: A nursing perspective (8th ed.). Elsevier. https://www.elsevierhealth.com.au/bioethics-9780729543767.html