Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Care

Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Care

Scenario 1

Queensland government Mental Health Act 2000 of Section 25 is about taking a patient to an approved mental health care unit. It states that a health care provider or ambulance official is only allowed to take a mentally disturbed patient whose documents for assessment are operational to a mental health care centre that is authorized for assessment. This is implied that in the presented case, Rob and the nurse to whom Phillipa's incident was reported to should ensure that her health documents are still functional and up to date before they make a step of calling an ambulance. Just in case her documents have been confirmed to be in use and the ambulance has been called, the nurse or the ambulance official according to subsection 1 of the same Section 25, can put into effect the power by applying the least amount of force required and being assisted. In Phillipa's case, the nurse and the ambulance official act as the public officials according to the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000 hence they will need to help Phillipa by exercising powers under this Act.

In applying the authority or command as per that Act, the nurse and the ambulance representative should to some practicable and reasonable extent tell the Phillipa that her health documents that are used for assessment are in effect and clearly put in plain words the cause and outcome of those assessment papers. As of Section 542, the nurse and the officers should as well introduce themselves to Phillipa before trying to implement power. Failing to act in accordance with this act in subsection 5 have no effect on the legality of the work out of that control. In the case, Rob, Phillipa's husband confirms to us that Phillipa does not take her medication in the right way; instead she hides them away after spitting them. For this reason, according to the Mental Health Act 2000 Section 26, the nurse can administer medication to her while they are on their way to the nearest authorized mental health care centre.

This policy requires that medication be administered to a person as he or she is being taken to the approved health centre for assessment even if the person has refused or that person does not want to give authorization to that. On the other hand, the medicine should only be given to Phillipa if it satisfies a doctor that it is compulsory to make her safety and that of others travelling along with her certain as she is driven to the health centre for assessment. Rob in his position as a close member of the family should confirm and ensure that the nurse she reported the issue to must be a registered nurse so that as she administers the medicine to Phillipa, she is doing it under a doctor's guide. Rather, he should just ensure that other the nurse, Phillipa medication can be administered by a certified doctor only. The nurse or