Practicing nurses must be careful and ensure that they are following both laws and patient wishes as much as possible when it comes to determining emancipated status and altering treatment or conduct as such. If a minor is confirmed as emancipated, however, they are considered a full adult when it comes to capacity to make medical decisions, receive full information, etc., and this legal status can lead to other ethical and personal issues (Broaddus & Chandrasekhar, 2011). Not only are emancipated minors less likely to have external educational support, as mentioned above, but they are also less likely to have the emotional and financial support of other pregnant adolescents and most pregnant women generally (Valvano, 2009). Nurses should take these factors into consideration when providing care to pregnant emancipated minors, extending what personal...

When the expectant mother is an emancipated minor, however, a new host of considerations enter into the picture. Adequately understanding the ethical, medical, legal, and personal implications of this situation is essential in providing effective and comprehensive nursing care.
References

Broaddus, B. & Chandrasekhar, S. (2011). Informed Consent in Obstetric Anesthesia.

Anesthesia & Analgesia 112(4): 912-5.

Valvano, T. (2009). Legal Issues in Sexual and Reproductive Health Care for Adolescents.

Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine 10(1): 60-5.