Ethical Issues in Home Health Care

This book will help to answer some of the growing number of ethical questions and more complex issues that home health care nurses face. The cases presented in each chapter of the book are fictionalized situations based on interviews conducted with home health care nurses in both hospital-sponsored and private agencies, in hospices, and in urban and rural settings. Each chapter of the book is devoted to one of the main areas of concern for home health care nurses. Focusing on specific cases, it offers analysis and discussion of the ethical issues, cites legal requirements where relevant, and summarizes ethical criteria and practical strategies. Whether student or seasoned professional, the reader is afforded the opportunity to gain increased sensitivity to what counts as an ethical question and a better understanding of the critical thinking process that leads to careful, reasoned decisions about what to do. In this new edition, the text has been revised to reflect new developments in nursing ethics. The discussion of confidentiality and privacy incorporates the requirements for safeguarding confidentiality of medical records and patient information created by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. The ethical requirements for culturally competent nursing care have been addressed in the chapter on respecting cultural differences. There is also an updated discussion of the provisions of the revised American Nurses Association Code of Ethics, including the Bill of Rights for Registered Nurses. In addition, some cases have been rewritten to accord with changes in medical technology. Two new appendices have been included. One appendix present ten new cases that may be used for discussion in groups or for individual practice. Another discusses how to develop and use Ethics Committees within home health care agencies. Practicing nurses, social workers, nursing school instructors, and home care agencies will find this bo