Truth in Patient Care

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An 8 page research paper/essay that discusses the ethics involved in telling the truth to patients. Healthcare practitioners are routinely faced with the responsibility of informing patients about the details and implications of their prognoses. No one enjoys being the bearer of bad tidings when a prognosis offers little hope. Also, it can be difficult to handle patient care when family members insist on sheltering a relative from the knowledge that they have a chronic condition. In other words, when, where and how to convey the truth of a prognosis is a recurring problem in healthcare in general and one that specifically impacts nursing. The writer explores ethical considerations, referring to Kantian ethics and cases cited in nursing literature. Bibliography lists 5 sources.