Ethical Issues in School Nursing Care Adebola E. Orimadegun Institute of Child Health College of Medicine University of Ibadan

What is Ethics? The basis for: –right and wrong, –good and bad, and –attempts to provide reasons for recommending norms for behaviour. Please note: morality refers to what people believe is right or wrong about relationships, and that a wide range of ‘local morality’ can be observed around the world.

Basic principles of ethics. 1.Respect for persons: autonomous and be protected 2.Autonomy –informed consent –Voluntariness –disclosure of information 3.Non-maleficence 4.Beneficence 5.justice (Beauchamp and Childress (1994)

Refusal of services Whose right is in question? – the parent or the child? Who is your client? – the caregiver or the child? Is it your responsibility to uphold the right of the child or that of the caregiver/parent?

Does the child have a stated religious belief? What if the parents rejects the child after your intervention? –Can you force them to take up responsibility for one who is ‘untouchable’? What does the law say? What is the role of the institutional ethics committee? –Do we have school ethics committee?

the bottom line is that the child has a right to life! Useful and productive life!

Parent/care-givers right to information Undeniably, parents/care-givers must have access to information but how much and who determines what and when? –Reasonable-person standard? Or –Reasonable-nurse standard? Does deception have a role to play in care? Is there room for giving information to children?

Refusal of consent Where does the law stand? –Law of the land? –Law of the school? Who enforces the law? Where does society and culture stand? –Reaction to the loss of a child Who protects the health care giver in the face of ensuing violence –At the point –Or later

Conclusion The school has a major responsibility in shaping the behaviour of children and youth; and all practices and procedures of school administration should reflect the ethics inherent in a free, democratic and just society. Justice, fairness, and individual responsibility to oneself and to society are ethical considerations common to all peoples of the world and are learned not only by teaching but also by their observable practice.

Thank you