Question

A male client age 56 years is experiencing withdrawal from alcohol and is placing himself at risk for falls by repeatedly attempting to scale his bedrails. Benzodiazepines have failed to alleviate his agitation and the nurse is considering obtaining an order for physical restraints to ensure his safety. The nurse should recognize that this measure may constitute what? A) Paternalism B) Deception C) Harm D) Advocacy

Answer 1

The nurse's consideration of using physical restraints for a client in alcohol withdrawal may represent paternalism, where decisions are made for the patient's safety without their consent. Benzodiazepines failed to reduce the client's agitation, leading to the consideration of restraints after other options were exhausted.

Step-by-step explanation:

The consideration for the use of physical restraints on a client experiencing alcohol withdrawal may constitute paternalism, which refers to a health practice where the health care provider makes decisions for the benefit of the patient but without their consent. Paternalism can be used to justify actions aimed at protecting individuals from harm, but it is often weighed against the patient's right to autonomy and informed consent. In the presented scenario, the nurse believes that the measure is necessary to ensure the patient's safety and prevent potential falls, given that benzodiazepines have not been effective in managing the client's withdrawal symptoms and related agitation.

It is essential to consider ethical principles such as beneficence, which promotes the wellbeing of individuals, and non-maleficence, which is the duty to do no harm. In cases where clients are at risk of harm to themselves, healthcare providers must carefully balance these principles against the patient's autonomy. The use of restraints should always be a last resort after all other strategies have been tried and found ineffective or insufficient.

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