NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination

NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination

Care coordinators are vital in effectively implementing these policies within and outside homeless shelters to ensure that the homeless population receives equitable healthcare opportunities and their safety is protected. Next, in our presentation, we will discuss the policies that raise ethical dilemmas in coordinated care. 

Ethical Dilemmas for Care Coordination 

Despite the positive impacts of the policies on care coordination, some ethical issues may arise during the implementation of these policies. The four major principles of ethics are – autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. These principles generally apply in all circumstances, especially in the healthcare domain. 

One significant ethical issue in the healthcare sector is data protection – privacy, security, and confidentiality. Care coordination, especially in homeless shelters, involves collecting and sharing persons’ protected health and sensitive information. Several ethical questions arise related to the privacy and confidentiality of this information. According to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), it is imperative to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of sensitive information and only share it with authorized personnel upon receiving consent from the individuals (Moore & Frye, 2019).

Balancing the importance of effective care coordination with protecting individual privacy rights is crucial and may raise ethical dilemmas for healthcare providers. Another ethical dilemma is the criminalization of homelessness. Several cities and states in the U.S. have employed policies that criminalize behaviors like sleeping on the streets and trespassing. Such policies raise ethical questions about an individual’s dignity (Rankin, 2019). These policies may impose legal implications and arrests for homeless people, raising ethical dilemmas and preventing individuals from receiving adequate healthcare services. 

Impact of Nursing Code of Ethics 

The nursing code of ethics is significant in forming care coordination and maintaining the continuum of care for susceptible populations, including homeless people. These ethical principles enable nurses to enhance their coordination while addressing healthcare disparities and ethical concerns keeping in mind the social determinants of health (SDOH). Healthy People 2030 defines SDOH as economic stability, education and literacy, healthcare access and quality, social and community factors, and environmental factors (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.).

NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination

When dealing with the homeless population, nursing professionals can consider these factors; following the policies for healthcare accessibility and using ethical principles can reduce inequalities and disparities among the homeless population. Moreover, the nursing code of ethics emphasizes that professionals advocate for the well-being of the communities. This advocacy can modify policies currently preventing homeless people from acquiring healthcare services.

Additionally, the code of ethics focuses on the provision of culturally-competent healthcare. Stigma and discrimination encountered by the homeless population can be disregarded by observing the ethical codes of justice and equitable healthcare (Sadeghi et al., 2022). Therefore, it is crucial for nurses to be aware and educated about the code of ethics so that community individuals can receive effective and adequate care preventing health disparities. 

Conclusion

To summarise the presentation, I would like to emphasize the need for care coordination in the context of the homeless population. Several policies, like Affordable Care Act and the Housing First policy, positively impact care coordination; however, some ethical issues may arise during the implementation of coordinated care. Thus, it is imperative for healthcare providers, especially nurses, to get educated about the code of nursing ethics, as abiding by these ethical principles will ensure the effective and adequate provision of coordinated care. Thank you for your presence today; the floor is open for concerns and feedback. 

References

Isola, S., & Reddivari, A. K. R. (2022). Affordable care act. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549767/ 

Karam, M., Chouinard, M.-C., Poitras, M.-E., Couturier, Y., Vedel, I., Grgurevic, N., & Hudon, C. (2021). Nursing care coordination for patients with complex