LEGAL ASPECT OF NURSING Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

LEGAL ASPECT OF NURSING - Case Study Example The physician is reluctant to perform the surgery because of the patient’s recent stroke. However, Mr. Suarez’s adult children are insistent that the surgery should commence. As the main caregivers, they are charged with the responsibility of managing their father’s health condition. It is for this reason they push for the best medical care for their father. In light of the unfolding events, there is an ethical dilemma. The ethical committee should act in the best interest of the patient. Due consideration should be made for the physician’s evaluation. There are few kidneys available for transplant but there are many patients in need of kidney transplant. Unfortunately, many patients have succumbed to death during the waiting period. It is disheartening that there is a worldwide shortage of kidneys available for transplant. Potential kidney donors are living donors or deceased donors. For deceased donors they can either be non-heart beating donors (donatio n is made after cardiac death) or heart beating donors (donation is made after brain death). There has been an increase in the kidney donations made by both living donors and non-heart beating donors, but the donations from heart beating donors have declined. ... Given Mr. Suarez’s cardiac complications, a cardiac evaluation is necessary. Physical examination and history is essential for transplant candidates. Patients exhibiting cardiac failure are highly predisposed to cardiovascular events peri-operatively and post-transplantation (Suphamai &. Danovitch, 2007). Abnormal ECG results would warrant further cardiac evaluation. Mr. Suarez’s age is above 50 years, and a stress test should be administered. However, there is need to appreciate the current critical health state of the patient. Several independent medical experts on kidney transplants should be consulted by the ethics committee. They should give a report of the expected kidney transplant in light of the hemorrhagic stroke. There is need to determine if the stroke is a major risk factor that predisposes the patient to a critical health state. If there is a high possibility of an unsuccessful surgery, Mr. Suarez’s eligibility for a kidney transplant declines. The kidney transplant is for the purpose of saving a life and if there is a likelihood of an unsuccessful surgery, it would not be ethical to select Mr. Suarez as a kidney recipient. Comprehensive information is required on the physical and mental health state of Mr. Suarez. Mortalities are mainly caused by malignancy, infection and cardiovascular disease as they are the main complications arising from immunosuppression in the majority of kidney transplant recipients. The transplant assessment process also requires a comprehensive evaluation of Mr. Suarez’s psychosocial, medical and surgical history (Pham et al. 2010). This evaluation is a challenge for transplant physicians as they have to screen for complex medical issues in potential candidates, and another challenge is the non