A nurse didn't know what to do when faced with a particular ethical dilemma because an option that would have a good outcome didn't seem possible
The nurse decided to talk to the agency supervisor and decide what action to take. Which of the following best describes the nurse's actions?
a. Appropriate, because the supervisor is responsible for the nurse's choices
b. Intelligent, because the supervisor has access to resource persons (clergy, physicians, administrators) who might know of options the nurse hadn't considered
c. Justified, because this provides an opportunity to discuss the issue but the nurse maintains responsibility for the decision
d. Wise, because the supervisor would be more knowledgeable concerning agency priorities and traditional practices
ANS: C
Ethically, each nurse is responsible for his or her own decisions and cannot avoid ethical accountability by relying on obedience to a supervisor or any external rule or policy.
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