Delivering high-quality care services is crucial in the care and treatment of unvaccinated coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients. The need to show compassionate care to the patient has been preserved within the codes of conduct for health and social care professionals (American Nurses Association [ANA] Code of Ethics, 2022). We recently had a young unvaccinated COVID-19 patient requiring a lung transplant. The patient had no past medical history and was in good health prior to contracting COVID-19. Ethical issues arose when the clinicians started talking about how other vaccinated patients are more worthy of the lung transplant and quality care since the unvaccinated patient chose not to get vaccinated in the first place. However, even if a disease is preventable, healthcare professionals still have ethical obligations to care for their patients. As a healthcare leader, I provided education and awareness to our healthcare providers. Developing additional mechanisms for resilience and reflection, despite frustrations from preventable mortality, may assist the professional and the unvaccinated patients they care for. During the winter surge in Los Angeles County, hospitals have the ethical obligation to expand capacity management and concentrate on operations to care for unvaccinated patients even if it means requiring vaccinated patients to wait for less urgent care like cancer and heart surgeries. It is part of the professional ethics of healthcare personnel to be non-judgmental to the patient’s moral character and actions, as they relate to the causes and the background of his disease. Considerations of whether a patient is to blame for his disease, it should not affect the treatment he receives. In several situations, the non-judgmental approach is difficult to fully achieve. It is not always easy for healthcare workers to encourage patients while refraining from blaming patients for past failures to carry through such decisions of not getting vaccinated. The goal of providing efficient care must be guided by the fundamental principles of fairness, equality, and compassion that represent our civil rights laws. Every patient possesses the same dignity and worth as everyone else. The patient had a successful lung transplant, came home to his family, and continued to serve our community.
Balancing Autonomy and Safety in Nursing One ethical dilemma I faced in my nursing career involved respecting a patient's autonomy while also ensuring their safety. I once cared for an elderly patient who adamantly refused a life-saving surgery recommended by the medical team. Despite our best efforts to educate the patient and their family about the risks and benefits of the procedure, they remained steadfast in their decision to decline treatment due to personal beliefs and fears. This presented a challenging ethical dilemma as a nurse, as I grappled with the responsibility to uphold the patient's right to autonomy while also considering the potential consequences of their decision. Ultimately, I engaged in open and honest conversations with the patient, listening attentively to their concerns and addressing any misconceptions they had about the surgery. I also collaborated closely with the healthcare team to explore alternative options for managing the patient's condition while respecting their wishes. In the end, we reached a consensus that prioritized the patient's autonomy while still ensuring their safety to the best of our ability. This experience taught me the importance of advocating for patients' rights while navigating complex ethical decisions in healthcare.