Question: Mandatory staffing ratios in hospitals

A nurse in the ICU comes on to her first of three shifts, and told that she is going to be receiving a transfer from a smaller hospital at some point in her shift. The patient that she is going to be receiving is a 79 year old patient that takes blood thinners and had a fall. Due to fall is believed to have both subdural hematoma and subarachnoid hematoma with a 1 cm x 1 cm midline shift. Currently on unit she is to receive report on a patient that is 66 years old that was extubated 2 hours earlier whom is having labored breathing with respiration rate of 52 breaths per minute. The third patient is a vented 64 year old patient that was admitted for acute respiratory failure related to COPD exacerbation due to lower lobe pneumonia.

1. Statement of Issue: Present issue you have chosen in the context of a realistic, hypothetical patient scenario. A healthcare worker should be part of the scenario and is faced with the ethical/legal decision or is assisting someone who is facing the decision.

2. This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeEthical Analysis: Discuss the ethical issues created by the chosen topic as described in your case scenario. A. Include in your analysis: relevant provisions and interpretative statements from the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses; B. examine ethical principles, citing your assigned readings; and C. apply one of the ethical theories, citing your assigned readings

3. This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeLegal Analysis: Explore relevant laws/legal issues, including emerging trends, if applicable, and laws from other jurisdictions and countries as needed, that relate to or impact your scenario. Use proper APA citation to cite legislation

4. This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeEthical/Legal Decision: Reach a conclusion for the issue you presented which is supported by the ethical and legal analysis above.

5. This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeScholarly Writing : A. Correct grammar, sentence structure, spelling, etc. B. Correct APA formatting C. A minimum of 5 current (published within the last 5 years), scholarly references. Case references are acceptable beyond 5 years if no cases more recent. D. Minimum of 5 pages of content - not including in the 5 pages: title page, Abstract & References.