Abstract
Neonatal nurses regularly face complex legal and ethical dilemmas. This article discusses the hypothetical case of Jack, a two-day-old infant diagnosed with trisomy 13 syndrome, a life-limiting condition. Jack’s prognosis is poor, and he is not expected to live past two weeks of age. The legal and ethical perspectives of withholding life-sustaining treatment in infants and children will be explored through the application of ethical frameworks, as well as statute and case law relevant to children and adolescent nursing. The article also discusses the neonatal nurse’s role, with reference to local and national guidelines.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 48-53 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Nursing Standard |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue number | 44 |
| Early online date | 22 Jun 2016 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 22 Jun 2016 |
Keywords
- ethical frameworks
- ethics
- legal issues
- legislation
- neonates
- neonatal nursing