Legal Homework 3 B - Essay Example

Thirdly, Judy’s isolation, the entry and unannounced exit of the psychiatrist are clear signs of failure to put Judy and her family at the heart of care; fourthly, the psychiatrist and the nurse have violated the principle of communication and co-ordinated care in the treatment of the patient, otherwise the change of guard could have been more seamless to avoid suicide attempts. 2. Was the nurse negligent for unlocking the bathroom door and allowing Judy to shower by herself? The nurse was negligent for unlocking the bathroom and allowing the patient to shower by herself, because technically it was impossible for her to carry out any meaningful grooming due to her mental disorder.

Moreover, she had spent many days without taking a bath. 3. Was it below the standard of care the nurse to leave the bathroom door unlocked when the psychiatrist came to see Judy? Leaving the bathroom door unlocked was in order, since the patient’s movements would be monitored by the psychiatrist. And if in any case the nurse’s helping hand was urgently needed, he or she would have accessed the room more easily than when it was locked. 4. Is there a greater duty to this patient from an ethical perspective?

Why or why not? Judy is undergoing involuntary psychiatric treatment preferred under the doctrines of police power and state’s parens patriae, however this condition does not strip her of patient rights and ethical treatment. By contrast, mandated treatment naturally invokes ethical tensions for psychiatrists and their assistants that need a delicate balancing act. Whereas, Judy’s personal freedoms should be restricted by virtue of her mental health, there ought to be a greater duty to her by considering principles that obligate the clinicians to treat her with more respect and dignity (McSherry, McSherry, & Watson, 2012).

Whereas deterrence of suicide in Judy’s case requires a stricter environment, she deserves a closer, friendlier environment since suicide cases do not just happen out of blues; there are imminent signs like preparation of ropes as witnessed in this case. In acknowledging the gravity of denying Judy the freedom of patients, she should be granted: a judicial review of her situation, a legal counsel, and a better, less restrictive option than hospitalization. Moreover, greater duty of care requires that the emergency health care facility to collaborate more with Judy’s decision-makers in exploring viable treatment options to restore her health, because it is only ethical if the health care staff work towards her wellbeing rather than confining her in an isolated room, which only serves to aggravate her condition. 5. What ethical principles must be considered when caring for such a patient? a) The main ethical principle that should be considered in this case is treatment through informed consent.

Owing to Judy’s mental health condition, her kin through a legitimate surrogate decision-maker reserve the right to be furnished with balanced professional information regarding Judy’s health condition and viable treatment options in order to arrive at appropriate decisions without undue influence. b). Secondly there should be a friendly, professional distance and esteem between Judy and her clinicians that creates a safer and more predictable environment for her recovery. This would create room