A 46-year-old man, estranged from his siblings, has begun showing signs of dementia and has been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease. The nurse tells him how important it is that he inform his siblings of his disease. He refuses stating, I dont want them to know. Let them find out on their own. What should the nurse do?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The nurse must honor the patients wishes while explaining to the patient the potential benefit this information may have to other family members. Involving the geneticist in the patients care is very important, but notifying family members or physicians would be a breach of confidentiality. A nurse may want to disclose genetics information to family members who could experience significant harm if they do not know such information. However, the patient may have other views and may wish to keep this information from the family, resulting in an ethical dilemma for patient and nurse.

A 46-Year-Old Man, Estranged from His Siblings, Has Begun Showing