Ideological Influences - Paper Example

The Phenomenon of Interest (POI) is Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSIs), and the advanced nursing practice specialty is psychiatric nursing. I have an analytic (quantitative) philosophy that Bruce et al. (2014) described as the most common in science. With this viewpoint, I believe that CLABSIs result from negligence and carelessness of health workers during medical procedures. Contaminations of the central line due to unsterile practices lead to the entry of microorganisms into the bloodstream, causing infections. Therefore, if healthcare providers ensure total sterility during central line insertion, and follow proper guidelines for maintenance and removal, CLABSIs would not occur (Aloush & Alsaraireh, 2018).

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Ethical Framework

As a psychiatric nursing practitioner, I will use virtue ethics as a guide in decision-making. This ethical framework emphasizes on core virtues of courage, integrity, caring, and respect to advocate for patients’ wellbeing. Bloch and Green (2006) argued that psychiatry involves many complex dilemmas that require a moral perspective. Bloch and Green (2006) portrayed virtue ethics as a more sensitive approach to help nurses deal with difficult ethical issues. With this framework, a psychiatric nurse should have a virtuous character to make sound ethical decisions. This theory bases its concept on the philosophy of Aristotle that character is at the heart of moral deliberation (Bloch & Green, 2006). If a nurse is virtuous, he or she will always promote the best interests of patients above everything else.

Theoretical Influences

The mid-range theory of virtue ethics is that virtuous character inspires ethical practice. Newham (2015) argued that the moral value of a person determines their behavior. Therefore, virtuous nurses will always behave in manners that prevent the occurrence of CLABSIs. They will ensure all equipment and procedures are sterile and be vigilant about infection prevention and control. With this kind of practice, nurses will take care of patients as they would care for themselves to ensure the central line remains sterile by all means.

The grand theory of virtue ethics is that for ethical practice, nurses should always act as moral agents, and not merely from a sense of duty. If they capitalized on their holistic nature as moral agents, they would make better decisions that would reduce CLABSIs (Arries, 2005). Virtue ethics involves integrity, which prompts caregivers who make mistakes during a procedure to confess and initiate prophylaxis to prevent the occurrence of bloodstream infections. Virtuous nurses go above and beyond their duty to ensure that they take good care of their patients to avoid situations that may cause CLABSIs.

Complexity Science

Complexity science is the study of complicated systems. Pype et al. (2018) described it as the study of the perception of professionals about their interprofessional interaction and teamwork in their daily operations. Complex Adaptive System (CAS) is an application of complexity science, involving individual unpredictable agents whose actions are interconnected and influence each other. In dealing with CLABSIs, healthcare facilities require an intentional communication system between all stakeholders involved in care, including doctors, nurses, phlebotomists, patients, and family members (Stout & Paulus, 2019). Having a plan to facilitate the relay of information between units and care-providers, particularly during handoffs, promotes shared accountability.

Concept Map of Praxis Framework

My POI is Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections, which I associate with negligence and carelessness of health workers during medical procedures. As a psychiatric nurse, I will use virtue ethics in decision-making. Relying on my moral judgment to do the right things for patients’ best interests will inspire ethical practice that will reduce the incidence of CLABSIs. I will be a moral agent who practices with confidence, respect, and integrity. With a proper intentional communication system for all stakeholders involved in care, the incidence of CLABSIs will reduce.

References

Aloush, S. M., & Alsaraireh, F. A. (2018). Nurses’ compliance with central line-associated bloodstream infection prevention guidelines. Saudi Medical Journal, 39(3), 273. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5893917/

Arries, E. (2005). Virtue ethics: an approach to moral dilemmas in nursing. Curationis, 28(3), 64-72. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16245481/

Bloch, S., & Green, S. A. (2006). An ethical framework for psychiatry. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 188(1), 7-12. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/an-ethical-framework-for-psychiatry/164C6B62A1CB86ACC48355C344B1FE09

Bruce, A., Rietze, L., & Lim, A. (2014). Understanding philosophy in a nurse’s world: What, where, and why. Nursing and Health, 2(3), 65-71. http://www.hrpub.org/download/20140701/NH2-16802412.pdf

Newham, R. A. (2015). Virtue ethics and nursing: on what grounds?. Nursing Philosophy, 16(1), 40-50. https://doi.org/10.1111/nup.12063

Pype, P., Mertens, F., Helewaut, F., & Krystallidou, D. (2018). Healthcare teams as complex adaptive systems: understanding team behavior through team members’ perception of interpersonal interaction. BMC health services research, 18(1), 570. https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-018-3392-3

Stout, S., & Paulus, C. (2019). Can You Hear Me Now?… Optimized Communication to Reduce Hospital-Acquired Central Line Bloodstream Infection. American Journal of Infection Control, 47(6), S43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2019.04.104