Individual Right Versus the Collective Good

Most of the recent successes in improving the public’4 s health has had to address the tension of individual rights versus the collective good. Anti-smoking campaigns and laws banning smoking in public places protect people from the negative health effects of second-hand smoke, yet some believe that they infringe on the individual rights of those who choose to smoke. Requiring childhood immunizations has helped prevent diseases such as polio and measles, but some parents assert that they have the right to decide if being immunized is in the best interest of their children.

This tension also exists in the allocation of scarce resources, from providing adequate staff coverage to making decisions about the amount of health care to provide. Given the nurse’s involvement in policy and health care delivery, it is important to understand the dynamics of this tension, as well as the legal and ethical implications.

To prepare:

• When      have you encountered a tension between the individual right and the      collective good in your nursing practice?
• With      information from the Learning Resources in mind, consider relatively      recent examples of health care policy that demonstrate this tension. For      this Discussion, select one example of timely health care policy that      allows you to evaluate the tension between individual rights and the      collective good. Conduct additional research as necessary using credible      websites and the Walden Library.

Write a minimum of 550 words in APA format with at least 3 scholarly references from the list of required readings below. Include the level one headings as numbered below”

Post a cohesive response that addresses the following:

• In      the first line of your posting, identify a health care policy.
• Explain      the tension between individual rights and the collective good.
• Analyze      the ethical and legal considerations of the policy.

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