When a client with cancer for example refuses life-saving treatment, I would do my best to persuade the client otherwise. I would do so on the principle of attempting to cooperate with the client rather than directly opposing him or her, but if no other choice is left to me, I would have to act in what I believe is the client's best interest. I would also attempt to find reasons for the client's apparently suicidal decision-making process, and attempt to address this before overriding the client directly. Conclusion

My philosophy of nursing generally focuses on the integration of the all things in the client's life to create the individuals that I am presented with. Problems within the physical body are more often than not at least affected, if not directly caused, by factors beyond the physical. I see it as the duty of the nurse to investigate the causes for physical illness not only on the physical level, but also on the non-physical. From the physical investigation, I would therefore move progressively towards other factors, including those within the psyche...

Only recently has it become evident that not only the body, but other factors also play a role in illness and healing. This is however a relatively new paradigm in the profession, and future challenges may revolve around how to quantify the non-physical causes of illness. More than a challenge, however, this is also an exciting new field of investigation that nurses can use to provide their clients with optimal healthcare.
Sources

American Nurses Assocaition. (2003). ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses - Continuing Education. http://nursingworld.org/mods/mod580/cecde03.htm

Duldt, Bonnie W. (1985). Humanistic Nursing Communication Theory.

A www.bwbatteyconsult.com/T-HNCT.doc

Watson, Jean (2006). Theory of Human Caring. http://www2.uchsc.edu/son/caring/content