Problem: Use the Ethical Decision-Making Algorithm the Blais and Hayes (2016) text to examine the situation, focusing on the nursing perspective. An example of a clinical application of the Algorithm can be found in the Blais and Hayes (2016) text.
You are working in a small emergency department (ED) on a busy Friday night. One of your patients, an intoxicated man with a head laceration, is about to leave without being seen. You are worried he may not be making a good decision, so you decide to talk to him. You discover that the large laceration on his forehead is the result of a fall down a large number of concrete stairs. He was unconscious for a period of time and doesn't remember much of what happened before the fall. He admits to drinking between 10 and 12 beers tonight. He is tired of waiting and insists on going home. You are worried that he has a serious head injury and does not understand the implications of refusing medical care. However, after you explain your concerns to him, he is able to tell you (albeit with a slight slur) what the possible risks of leaving are, and that he is willing to accept these risks. He says that if you don't let him leave, he will sue for assault, battery, and unlawful confinement.