Page 11 - 2.5 Ethics and Legal Dilemma
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Ethical Dilemma
Professionalism
What is a professional dilemma?
An ethical problem that requires an individual to choose a particular course of action.
Usually, the choice itself is black and white: one choice is clearly the right answer, while the other choice is unmistakably the wrong answer.
In general, an ethical dilemma is a complex situation a person faces in which a decision must be made about the adequate action to be
taken (Harrison, 2005).
A dilemma may derive from the conflict between the rightness or wrongness of the actions and the goodness or badness of the
consequences of the actions. Example of a common ethical dilemma nurses deal with is establishing boundaries with patients. Nurses and
nurse managers devote their careers to helping patients receive the care they need, so it can often be difficult to establish professional
boundaries.
