NUR-405 Multiple Pregnancies and Selective Reduction

NURS 405-Multiple Pregnancies and Selective Reduction

Jessica Listman-Ward
Frostburg State University

NUR-405 Multiple Pregnancies and Selective Reduction

NUR 405 Multiple Pregnancies and Selective Reduction

As medical professionals we use guidelines to help us with our daily practice. These
guidelines act as standards for the profession. The Essentials for Baccalaureate Education for
Professional Nursing Practice is one of those guidelines. This is the foundation for all
baccalaureate nursing classes that will help students prepare themselves for a career in nursing.
The American Association of Colleges of Nurses has created the standards that are introduced
and utilized by students obtaining a bachelor degree in nursing. Each course uses a different
standard throughout the assignments.
Multiple Pregnancies and Selective Reduction
During this course we had the opportunity to choose a topic that invokes legal and
ethical issues. The topic that I chose to discuss is the concept of multiple pregnancies and
selective reduction. This paper required us to discuss the legal issues with the topic. While this
sounds easy, it was harder than I thought to find information on the topic. What I end it up
finding was not directly related to the topic, but it happens to be what doctors use when
making a decision. They use Roe v. Wade as the basis for making a legal decision to reduce the
number of fetuses during pregnancy. I found this to be interesting. They take a case on the
legality of abortion and modify it so that it fits the current patient.
The paper also required us to discuss the ethical issues involved in multiple pregnancies
and selective reduction. During my research I found that there are many who still view this as
an abortion, even if it is done for the safety of the mother and the remaining fetuses. Since
people have different viewpoints on when life begins some view this as murder, while others
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NUR-405 Multiple Pregnancies and Selective Reduction

think that it is a personal decision. From a medical standpoint the ethics issues are autonomy
of the patient, beneficence and nonmaleficence. As medical professionals we must make sure
that these ethical principles are followed.
The last part of this hot topic paper required us to make a decision on where we stand
with the topic and support it. This topic was an interesting one to write on. It would seem like
an easy topic to make a decision about, yet there are many factors that need to be considered.
After looking at the legal and ethical issues I ended up keeping the same feelings that I had
before writing the paper. My personal decision on the topic is that it is an individual decision
that must be made for the safety of everyone involved. I have nothing against a decision that is
in the best interest of the mother and child.
Reflection
This course and the assignments that were completed meet the standards created by
the American Association of Colleges of Nurses. This assignment helped meet the standards
which allow the development of professional values and value based behavior (American
Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2008, p. 27). As nurses we must develop a set of nursing
values and act accordingly with those behaviors. Since this paper involves legal and ethical
issues which nurses may be faced with, it meets the requirement of acting in a professional
manner. We need to be prepared for ethical dilemmas such as selective reduction. As nurses
we need to learn to set our personal values aside and focus on the patient and their needs. As I
discovered during my research for the topic,

NUR-405 Multiple Pregnancies and Selective Reduction

Ethics is an integral part of nursing practice and has always involved respect and
advocacy for the rights and needs of patients regardless of setting. Honesty and
acting ethically are two key elements of professional behavior, which have a
major impact on patient safety (American Association of Colleges of Nursing,
2008, p. 27).
It is nearly impossible to remove ethics from the healthcare field. This course and the paper
help put things into perspective for nurses so that we can focus on the care of the patient.
Patient safety and their wellbeing is the most important thing. This course and the paper help
teach us to focus on the patient and leave any biases and judgments outside the realm of caring
for the patient. Everyone has their own ethical viewpoint but they can sometimes interfere
with the care of the patient. We need to understand that the patient has the right to make
decisions on their health whether we agree with them or not. This assignment taught us to
focus on the patient with regards to the ethical principles of autonomy and beneficence. We
must always focus on the patient and what is best for them.

NUR-405 Multiple Pregnancies and Selective Reduction

References
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2008). The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education
for Professional Nursing Practice. Washington, DC: American Association of Colleges of
Nursing.