An Ethical Dilemma in School Nursing

School nurses must consider the ethical principles that guide everyday practice. Autonomy, beneficence, justice, and nonmaleficence are the ethical principles most often confronted in the school setting. When beneficent care-giving begins to conflict with the family's decision-making autonomy, paternalism, a form of beneficence, affects the family's autonomy. This creates an ethical dilemma for the school nurse who guides his or her practice by ethical principles but who also must decide when it is appropriate to refer a child or family to a medical provider for further evaluation. A case study is presented to illustrate a specific ethical dilemma. The ethical dilemma is described using a model that examines external factors, professional responsibilities, and possible courses of action. The discussion includes cultural considerations and barriers pertinent to the case example.