Legal Implications

Class,

Can you see the shining light at the end of the tunnel? We are in the last two weeks of the course. Reminder: Your final major assignment is due by the end of the next class week. As always, do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

This week we will explore legal implications related to cultural competence and ethical nursing care.

The American Hospital Association (ANA) developed the document A Patient’s Bill of Rights to promote optimal patient care through effective health care as a result of collaborative team approach, the provision of open and honest communication, respectfulness of person and professional values, and sensitivity to differences.

Hospitals must ensure a health care ethic that respects the role of patients in decision making about treatment choices and other aspects of their care. Hospitals must be sensitive to cultural, racial, linguistic, religious, age, gender, and other differences as well as the needs of persons with disabilities.

These rights are most reflective of cultural competence in the first statement of the bill: "The patient has the right to considerate and respectful care".

American Hospital Association. (1998). A Patient’s Bill of Rights. Retrieved September 8, 2010 from http://www.patienttalk.info/AHA-Patient_Bill_of_Rights.htm

Consider elements of the patient’s rights bill along with assigned chapter readings to identify intervention and prevention strategies you would use in the following scenario:

A Vietnamese couple enters the emergency room and the husband says to you, “Doctor!” The wife is obviously pregnant, but she does not appear to be in labor; she does not show any signs of discomfort or distress. You are the triage nurse and the emergency room is extremely busy. You are unsuccessful in your communication attempts to let the couple know you are trying to get an interpreter. In the interim while waiting on an interpreter, the wife asks, “Restroom”, so you delegate to an unlicensed person to escort the patient to the ladies room. At a later time, a loud cry is heard from the ladies room. It is the pregnant Vietnamese patient who had precipitously delivered her baby in the restroom.

Provide rationales with references in your response.

Wanda