2000 words
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Aim: 2805NRS Case Study Essay Assignment Help Griffith University
In your future role as a health care professional, you will be faced with complex and challenging situations. There will at times be a legal solution that can be applied to the situation. It is important that you are aware of what this might be so that you can confidently practice within these legal boundaries. Almost always, there will be differing ethical positions that need to be considered. The purpose of this case study is to enable you to practice identifying a legal issue and possible outcomes, and consider why an ethical conflict arises.
The case study will assess all of the learning outcomes in 2805NRS.
Instructions:
You are required to write an essay. In your essay, you must identify and discuss the legal and ethical issues presented in the case study, and accurately answer the questions posed at the end. You are expected to submit your essay with appropriate grammar, spelling, sentences, paragraphs and references. It should be structured using the following ‘APA Level 2’ headings:
- Introduction
- Legal Issues
- Ethical Issues
- Conclusion
Case Study Scenario – 2805NRS Case Study Essay Assignment
Richard is 41 year-old-man who works as a fly-in-fly-out worker for a mining company in Central Queensland. Richard has worked at the mines for twelve years, and is an experienced blast crew member. He has been in a relationship with Meryl for 22 years, and they have four hildren
aged 9, 11, 13, and 15. Although his home is in Brisbane with Meryl and the children, he shares a two-bedroom unit with his best friend and crew manager Lucas every second week, while they are on-site at the mines.
Richard is muscular and physically fit, as he works out in the gym nearly every day on top of his physical work in the mines. His mining crew call him ‘The Mountain’ in honour of his size and strength. It was a surprise to them, then, when partway through a scorching hot workday he announced that he simply couldn’t continue work and needed to sit down in the shade tent because he felt like he was going to collapse. Lucas took Richard over to sit in the cabin of the crew vehicle with the air conditioner on, and gave him some chilled water to drink. A few minutes later Richard let himself out of the vehicle and loudly announced, he did not feel well at all.
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Lucas decided to take Richard to the mining camp clinic, which was staffed by company- employed paramedics. The paramedics offered Richard a drink and sat him down to rest in the adjacent treatment room.
They took his observations, which were mostly within normal limits, but noted that his respiratory rate was high. After about half-an-hour one of the paramedics went to retake Richard observations, only to find him collapsed on the floor. She immediately called an ambulance, but by the time it arrived, nearly an hour later, Richard had recovered and stated he was ready to go home. His respiratory rate had slowed, but he wouldn’t allow the paramedics to take his blood pressure, retracting his arm each time they tried. The paramedics advised Richard to drink plenty of water and stay out of the heat for the rest of the day, as he left the clinic.
Richard did not intend to return home though. He was a diligent worker so headed straight back to the mine site, ready to get back on the job. As he got back to site he realised he had left his safety equipment in the shade tent, and began walking over to pick it up. Unbeknownst to Richard, while he had been at the clinic the crew had set up for the next round of blasting. As he crossed the site the blast was set off. A large chunk of rock hurtled through the air and struck Richard in his unprotected head. Richard fell, landing heavily on the ground.
Lucas rushed over and saw that Richard had sustained significant head injuries and was lapsing in and out of consciousness. He radioed for urgent medical assistance. Luckily, the ambulance had not long left the clinic and was only a few minutes away. Upon arrival, the paramedics assessed Richard as having severe traumatic brain injury with bleeding and bruising, extensive facial and skull fractures, suspected fractured ribs and a pneumothorax. As Richard was minimally responsive and bleeding profusely, they immediately intubated him, attempted to address the bleeding, and called for helicopter evacuation, to transport him to Brisbane Hospital.
Full Details of the Task
You are required to answer the following legal and ethical questions as a structured essay with the following headings.
Introduction
A short introductory paragraph that outlines what you will be presenting in your case report.
You do not need to include a detailed account of the facts in the scenario; the markers are aware of the facts and this is an unnecessary use of words.
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Legal Issues
Using structured sentences and paragraphs, answer the following questions in relation to legal issues raised by the case.
1. What elements must be present for Richard’s consent to treatment for heat shock to be valid? What legal authority can you rely upon to support your answer? What potential legal consequences may flow if healthcare practitioners provide treatment without first obtaining
consent?
2. As Richard had previously refused medical treatment by the ambulance crew for his heat shock, do the paramedics have any legal authority to institute treatment for his head injury?
What legal authority can you rely upon to support your answer?
3. After sustaining the head injury, Richard will not have decision-making capacity. Provide a rationale that supports the legal obligation to obtain consent for Richard’s cranio-facial surgery in these circumstances.
4. List the legal options available for the healthcare practitioners to obtain consent for Richard’s ongoing care in these circumstances. Support your answer with Queensland legal authority.
5. In circumstances where there are two or more substitute decisions-makers who could potentially provide consent, and they disagree, describe the legal options available to provide a definitive answer as to what course of action the healthcare practitioners should take.
6. What factors will be taken into account when making a decision as to whether Richard’s life-sustaining measures can be withdrawn?
Conclusion
A short concluding paragraph that brings it all together.
NB* you are not required to decide the outcome of this case – in relation to the legal issues this would be a role for the courts. In relation to the ethical issues, there will not be one “right” answer; it is the process that you are being asked to apply.
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