NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 1 Applying Ethical Principles

NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 1

[Student Name]

Capella University

[Prof. Name]

August 2025

NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 1: The Application of Ethical Principles

Many hospitals and businesses have codes of ethics that professional healthcare personnel must follow to promote the health of patients. Standard procedures known as ethical requirements are followed by medical facilities. The beneficence principle must be used to promote health and prevent patient problems. This NHS FPX 4000 assessment 1 case study focuses on healthcare professionals who don’t follow accepted moral principles. The focus of the inquiry is on a surgical component that is retained. The retained surgical objects are an undesired consequence of clinical procedures. “Serious avoidable errors, or never events, that can cause harm to patients are retained surgical items.” Weston and Chiodo (2022).

An Overview of the Case Study

“The missing needle protector” was the case study that I selected. Dr. Cutrite, a former top-notch general surgeon whose mental and physical abilities have declined with age, is the subject of the study. Mr. Straight, the head of health services at the hospital, has been employed there for a while and is attempting to create initiatives that will raise the standard of treatment. He finds himself in a difficult situation one day when his room supervisor informs him that a patient might have had a lost needle protector placed in them during surgery. The supervisor hypothesizes that at the time of operation, the red cap might not have been visible in the damage.

When they counted the equipment after surgery, they discovered that the cap was gone. Straight says one possible solution is reopening Mrs. Jameson’s abdomen to look for the cap. “We will inform her that it is essential to examine her opening and deep sutures,” says Straight. We’ll be looking for the needle cover, but she won’t know it. But since she was released from the hospital a day before, he learns about it too late. The ethical and patient safety challenges that

occur when surgical procedures are not properly followed are illustrated by this example in the NHS FPX 4000 assessment 1.

Furthermore, Dr. Cutrite, the surgeon, is unwilling to take responsibility for his mistake. He notified the person in charge of the operating room that the patient should not be notified and that he was not going to inform Mrs. Jameson. “The cap will only cause a little discomfort and won’t hurt her,” he says. Straight asks “what if question” to the chief of surgery on that particular day. The significance of the application of ethical principles in patient care is highlighted by this instance, which clearly violates honesty and responsibility.

He poses the question, “What if a patient had a cap left in them?” The head of surgery said it might hurt or be uncomfortable. Straight doesn’t inform the chief of surgery about Mrs. Jameson’s needle cap in her abdomen or admit its existence. Straight, a well-known politician, isn’t sure if he wants to report on Dr. Cutrite. For heterosexual people, this moral dilemma is a major source of uneasiness and nervousness.

Analysis of Ethical Issues in the Case Study

The director of Clinical Services is E.L. Straight. He finds himself in a serious moral quandary. The supervisor of the operating room came up to him to talk about a recent procedure. She stated that a needle protective cap can unintentionally become lodged in a patient’s abdomen. Mrs. Jameson was a hospitalized woman who had had surgery on her abdomen. The ethical issues and patient safety hazards related to retained surgical objects are demonstrated by this case in NHS FPX 4000 assessment 1.

Dr. Cutrite, a hospital physician, performed the procedure. Dr. Cutrite used a syringe throughout the procedure. They were unable to find the plastic syringe cap during the post-operative count to confirm the materials used. This incident illustrates the necessity of the

application of ethical principles. Because the patient is not aware that she may have a stuck needle cover in her abdominal region, this presents an issue of ethics. This needle cover might harm or cause additional issues.

Retained surgical materials can have serious repercussions, such as intensive therapies or even mortality, claims Weston (2022). The doctor is alerted to the possible needle cap, but he refuses to acknowledge his error or tell Mrs. Jameson. Dr. Cutrite is acting unethically by concealing the facts. The clinical supervisor is also behaving unethically. Straight’s actions are wrong and show a failure in the application of ethical principles in nursing because he planned to mislead the patient in order to shield the hospital from accountability for the error.

He might have informed her that they would check her sutures before doing a second procedure to take off the cap. When he found out she was free, he had to think about anything else. This would violate the ethical rule that one should not harm others. This is referred to as non-maleficence, which is the ethical principle of not hurting someone. Furthermore, the non-maleficence principle is being broken by Dr. Cutrite. This needle guard has the potential to cause her pain, which raises major concerns in the NHS FPX 4000 assessment 1 regarding adherence to ethical norms in patient care.

He thinks it may just be uncomfortable, but he doesn’t know that. Straight, the clinical services director, has not told anyone about his search for a solution. He has to make a tough choice and isn’t sure if he wants to meet Dr. Cuthrite since he is a strong man. He has also failed to notify the patient, Mrs. Jameson.

Analyzing the Case Study Using the Ethical Decision-Making Model

Straight is exhibiting a deficiency in the application of ethical principles in nursing by failing to use ethical judgment, moral awareness, and moral conduct with the patient, all

components of the model for making ethical decisions. Straight means not acting morally, telling the patient the truth, or reporting the error, although being morally cognizant and aware of an ethical dilemma. The room supervisor exhibits moral awareness by acknowledging that leaving a needle protector in a patient’s wound is immoral. By disclosing the error, which is the proper thing to do, she also exhibits moral judgment.

Without the supervisor spotting the mistake during counts, Straight, Dr. Cutrite, and Mrs. Jameson would not have known. Straight and Dr. Cutrite were not responding to the moral dilemma in a proper manner. Straight is really nervous about admitting the mistake because of Dr. Cutrite’s influence. He appeared to be worried that disobeying him would jeopardize his employment. Even if Straight knows it’s wrong to leave a needle cap in a patient, his actions are unacceptable. This scenario from the NHS FPX 4000 assessment 1 illustrates the severe ethical implications of putting fear of authority or professional ties ahead of patient safety.

The Effectiveness of Case Study Communication Approaches

The communication strategies used in this study did not live up to expectations. Straight used a number of ineffective ways to communicate. He continued to communicate with the Chief of Surgery, but he did not tell him the truth. He employed a “what if” question to determine whether a patient with a retained surgical item would feel uncomfortable. In my opinion, the head of Surgery ought to have looked at the situation more thoroughly. I believe that if the head of surgery were aware that anything had happened, they would be called at random and asked “what if” questions. This breakdown emphasizes how crucial it is to communicate honestly and clearly, as well as the importance of applying ethical principles in nursing to direct professional contacts.

When something remains in a patient’s body, it’s a significant matter. He ought to have spoken with every member of the team and asked additional questions. The supervisor of the surgery center would have probably informed him of Mrs. Jameson’s surgical outcome if he had spoken with her. The chief of surgery may then speak with Dr. Cutrite and resolve the issue. Furthermore, Straight might be held responsible for his deceit. This scenario from the NHS FPX 4000 assessment 1 emphasizes how crucial ethical decision-making, accountability, and communication are in surgical practice.

Straight and Dr. Cutrite are expected to lose their jobs if this is found out. They will also harm their reputations and lose their ability to operate in the healthcare sector. This reminds other medical workers to always be honest and ethical. In this case, neither Dr. Cutrite nor Straight fulfilled their professional responsibilities nor came up with a remedy. The supervisor of the operating room was a great illustration of a successful communicator since she was direct and honest with everyone, including Straight and Dr. Cutrite. However, if she thinks Dr. Cutrite and Straight are acting unethically, she could go further and bring this up with the Chief of Surgery.

The Use of Ethical Principles in Resolving the Ethical Dilemma

Straight and Dr. Cutrite must be truthful and take responsibility for their mistakes in order to resolve this conundrum. (Page 10 of Sharp, Aguirre, and Kickham, 2013) Individuals are not abiding by the moral precept known as “Duty ethics,” which maintains that we have an obligation to act in a particular manner regardless of the consequences. Neither of them is reporting because they are concerned about the repercussions, nor because they don’t give much thought to whether Mrs. Jameson has any issues. As a patient, they are not demonstrating respect. In order to provide compassion and support for patients, they violate the moral precept

of beneficence, highlighting the importance of applying ethical principles in nursing to provide patient-centered care.

They should speak with the head of Surgery or someone else who oversees the surgical process to fix the mistake. This emphasizes that applying ethical principles while making choices is important. This tactic might involve talking to Mrs. Jameson, the patient, to inform her of the mistake and discuss the potential consequences of retaining a surgical tool. She could then decide whether to wait to see if she feels any pain or suffering, or have the thing surgically removed once more. Allowing a patient to make their own decisions is a sign of respecting their autonomy Vermont Ethics Network, 2011, p.1). If the surgical item is not removed immediately, Mrs. Jameson may monitor her health and let them know if she has any issues. This NHS FPX 4000 assessment 1 example highlights the value of open communication with patients and the ethical principle of autonomy.

Conclusion

In line with the practice of applying ethical principles, healthcare practices should employ moral awareness, ethical values, and good judgment. Patients and other medical professionals would have trusted Straight to act in their best interests if he had pointed out this mistake in the case study immediately. It is crucial to establish a working relationship with a trustworthy and moral healthcare provider. The NHS FPX 4000 assessment 1 scenario highlights the value of honesty, reliability, and responsibility in healthcare practice.