Pandemic Flu Impact on Ethics in Nursing Practice

Pandemic Flu Impact on Ethics in Nursing Practice

Pandemic flu: A literature review

The dire scenario of a pandemic flu is likely to strike fear in the heart of many healthcare workers, regardless of the level of their experience and knowledge. The 2009-2010 flu season brought additional attention to the issue. 208 countries "had confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009 and [stated] that over 13,000 people had died as a direct result" (Stroschein 2010). Although the death toll was not as great as feared, issues regarding how to cope with a pandemic and the need for immunization were brought to the forefront of the public consciousness and the concerns of healthcare workers.

Fears of a pandemic are not limited to the general public at large. In fact, "one of the ethical issues identified in response to a possible pandemic is healthcare workers' duty to provide care during a communicable disease outbreak. Healthcare employees may be subject to a variety of work obligations under such conditions. Questions of duty to treat remain controversial, and debate continues as to the ethical articulation of a duty to treat" (Shabanowitz & Reardon 2009). To incentivize nurses to consent to put their lives at risk to treat patients, measures include making healthcare workers the "first to receive vaccine, if one becomes available; first to receive antiviral drugs; additional support for personal/family needs; supplemental life/disability insurance coverage for family hazardous duty pay; personal protective equipment and training; [and] specialized training for dealing with virulent infectious diseases" (Shabanowitz & Reardon 2009). This requires a financial as well as a moral investment by social institutions in the lives of healthcare workers. Works must also be prepared for dealing with the personal emotional fallout of an epidemic, as well as logistical concerns.

Despite recent scares about avian and swine flu, the knowledge level amongst the general public remains relatively low about the risks of influenza. In one survey, "33% of respondents reported that although they had heard of the term pandemic influenza, they did not know what it meant, and 25% responded they had never heard of pandemic flu" (Shabanowitz & Reardon 2009). This may be exacerbated with the problem of keeping the public well-informed about patterns of the spread of the disease and morbidity, which can be difficult to predict. During the 2009 pandemic, highest-risk groups included patients with existing health conditions that rendered them vulnerable, pregnant women, and asthmatics. Young people were at higher risk of contracting the 2009 flu. "The paradox associated with the 2009 pandemic...is...you are much less likely to be infected at all, the older you get; but if you do get infected and you are old, you have a higher chance of not doing so well out of it" (Manos 2009).

Pandemic flu could have a significant impact not just upon the health of individuals, but upon the economic productivity of the nation. Employers as well as healthcare institutions must be part of the mobilization effort, as they can also strive to educate their workers about symptoms and offer vaccine clinics if necessary on-premises (Stroschein 2010). Independent traveling or stationary clinics specifically targeted to provide immunizations can be extremely useful in creating an effective response, given that they can relieve the pressures put upon larger healthcare institutions. Schools, workplaces, and other institutions can be helpful in encouraging compliance with CDC recommendations to reduce the spread of the virus such as encouraging covering the nose and mouth area with a disposable disuse, hand-washing and sanitizing, not touching the eyes, nose or mouth; avoiding close contact with sick people when possible; staying home when sick, and, for healthcare providers using face masks when treating infected patients (Goldenberg 2009). During the most recent pandemic outbreak, the CDC developed a PCR diagnostic test kit to detect the H1N1 virus and distributed test kits all over the U.S. And internationally (Goldenberg 2009)