Biomaterial Database

Ethical challenge in community health nursing. 1992

S M Duncan

University College of the Cariboo, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada.

Community health nurses frequently face situations involving ethical conflicts, but little research has been carried out in this area. This paper, based on a study of dilemmas defined by 30 practising community health nurses in urban and rural British Columbia, Canada, presents an analysis of the situations that contain the most serious ethical conflicts for nurses working in the community. Although issues related to client's rights, nurses' interactions with colleagues and the system, and nurses' rights were explored, nurses in the study reported that situations involving high-risk parenting provided the most serious ethical challenges. Strategies to help nurses caring for such vulnerable clients are described. As well, this paper offers some discussion on implications for community health nursing practice and education in light of current changes and challenges.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007400	Interprofessional Relations	The reciprocal interaction of two or more professional individuals.	Etiquette, Medical,Medical Etiquette,Relations, Interprofessional
D010344	Patient Advocacy	Promotion and protection of the rights of patients, frequently through a legal process.	Patient Ombudsmen,Patient Representatives,Clinical Ombudsman,Patient Ombudsman,Advocacy, Patient,Ombudsman, Clinical,Ombudsman, Patient,Ombudsmen, Patient,Patient Representative,Representative, Patient,Representatives, Patient
D011340	Problem Solving	A learning situation involving more than one alternative from which a selection is made in order to attain a specific goal.
D001955	British Columbia	A province of Canada on the Pacific coast. Its capital is Victoria. The name given in 1858 derives from the Columbia River which was named by the American captain Robert Gray for his ship Columbia which in turn was named for Columbus. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p178 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p81-2)
D003142	Communication	The exchange or transmission of ideas, attitudes, or beliefs between individuals or groups.	Miscommunication,Misinformation,Social Communication,Communication Programs,Communications Personnel,Personal Communication,Communication Program,Communication, Personal,Communication, Social,Communications, Social,Miscommunications,Misinformations,Personnel, Communications,Program, Communication,Programs, Communication,Social Communications
D003152	Community Health Nursing	General and comprehensive nursing practice directed to individuals, families, or groups as it relates to and contributes to the health of a population or community. This is not an official program of a Public Health Department.	Nursing, Community Health
D003220	Conflict, Psychological	The internal individual struggle resulting from incompatible or opposing needs, drives, or external and internal demands. In group interactions, competitive or opposing action of incompatibles: antagonistic state or action (as of divergent ideas, interests, or persons). (from Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed)	Conflict, Psychology,Psychological Conflict,Psychological Conflicts
D004993	Ethics, Nursing	The principles of proper professional conduct concerning the rights and duties of nurses themselves, their patients, and their fellow practitioners, as well as their actions in the care of patients and in relations with their families.	Nursing Ethics,Ethic, Nursing,Nursing Ethic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012380	Role	The expected and characteristic pattern of behavior exhibited by an individual as a member of a particular social group.	Role Concept,Concept, Role,Concepts, Role,Role Concepts,Roles