Advocacy Moral Distress Communication

Advocacy Moral Distress Communication

 T.D. enjoys caring for the children and young people in the schools where she works, but sometimes she is faced with tough situations such as suspected child abuse and neglect, teen pregnancy, and alcohol and drug use among teenagers. She works hard to ensure that the children in her schools receive the best care possible.

Questions for the case

Several third graders reports having received no breakfast at home for more than a week. T.D. is exercising Advocacy for the students under her care. What type of actions she might be doing to exercise advocacy for the students?

discuss the 3 topics listed below for your case:

1. Moral distress is a frequent situation where health care providers should face. Please define and discuss a personal experience where you have faced Moral distress in your practice.
2. Discuss how health promotion relates to morality.
3. Discuss your insights about your own communication strengths and weaknesses. Identify situations in which it may be difficult for you to establish or terminate a therapeutic relationship.

500 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.

In T.D.’s situation as a school health professional, she encounters moral distress and various challenges related to the well-being of children. Addressing these challenges requires advocacy, especially when students report significant concerns like neglect or lack of basic needs, such as food. Advocacy, moral distress, health promotion, and communication are intertwined in her efforts to provide the best care possible.

Advocacy Moral Distress Communication

When third graders report not having received breakfast for over a week, T.D. exercises advocacy by taking proactive steps to address the issue. Advocacy in this context involves ensuring that children’s basic needs are met, which directly impacts their health and learning. T.D. might be engaging in actions such as:

• Collaborating with school staff and administration: T.D. could partner with teachers and the administration to identify patterns of neglect and discuss solutions. This may involve coordinating with the school counselor or social worker to address these issues holistically.
• Engaging with community resources: T.D. might reach out to local food banks, non-profits, or government assistance programs to secure resources such as breakfast programs for students in need.
• Educating families: T.D. could engage in conversations with parents or guardians to understand the underlying causes and offer support or resources, ensuring the family is aware of the impact of nutrition on their child’s education.
• Policy advocacy: T.D. might advocate for school-wide initiatives, like free breakfast programs or increased awareness of food insecurity, to ensure all students are cared for.

These actions help ensure students’ basic needs are met, enabling them to focus on learning without the distraction of hunger.

Advocacy Moral Distress Communication

Moral distress occurs when healthcare providers know the right course of action but are unable to act due to institutional constraints, conflicting values, or legal limitations (Fourie, 2017). In my own practice, I faced moral distress when I worked with a patient who required more comprehensive care than what was available due to insurance restrictions. The patient needed diagnostic testing to confirm a potentially life-threatening condition, but the insurance company denied coverage for the test. As a healthcare provider, I was acutely aware of the potential consequences of not performing the test but felt powerless to change the situation. This caused significant distress as I navigated between advocating for the patient and the constraints of the system. I ultimately worked with the care team to find an alternative diagnostic route, but the experience highlighted the tension between doing what is right and the limitations imposed by external factors.

Health Promotion and Morality

Health promotion is deeply tied to morality because it seeks to empower individuals and communities to improve their health and well-being. It is a moral obligation for healthcare providers to promote health, as it aligns with the ethical principles of beneficence and justice—doing good and ensuring fair access to health resources (Schroeder & Smaldone, 2020). In T.D.’s case, promoting health among her students by advocating for access to food is not just a professional responsibility but a moral one. The promotion of health and well-being is a reflection of a society’s values, emphasizing the need for collective action to support vulnerable populations, such as children in schools.

Advocacy Moral Distress Communication

Effective communication is crucial in healthcare advocacy. A strength in my communication is active listening. I ensure that I give my full attention to patients and colleagues, which fosters trust and allows for a more accurate understanding of the situation. This skill is critical when working with children, as they may struggle to articulate their needs clearly. However, a weakness I recognize in myself is difficulty in setting boundaries, particularly when working in emotionally charged situations. For instance, when a patient or family is in crisis, I find it challenging to terminate the conversation or therapeutic relationship, even when it is necessary for the patient’s long-term well-being.

In situations where the therapeutic relationship needs to be terminated, such as when the patient requires a different type of care or has transitioned out of the acute phase of their condition, I sometimes struggle with finding the right balance between providing ongoing support and stepping back. This can lead to emotional exhaustion and less effective care for others.

Conclusion

T.D.’s role as a health advocate for children underscores the complex interplay between moral distress, health promotion, and effective communication. Advocacy often requires confronting moral distress, as T.D. must navigate challenging situations like suspected neglect while promoting the well-being of her students. Communication, a cornerstone of effective advocacy, must be used to build trust and promote health, although it also poses challenges in managing emotional boundaries.

References

Fourie, C. (2017). Moral distress and moral conflict in clinical ethics. Bioethics, 31(2), 91-97. https://doi.org/10.1111/bioe.12310

Schroeder, K., & Smaldone, A. (2020). Food insecurity: A concept analysis. Nursing Forum, 55(2), 171-177. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12420

Academic Artisan