78. Discussion
Please response to the person objective about the movie in a positive way please refer to article # 8116567 (review of movie Mrs Evers Boys)
I believe the filmmakers began the movie with the Florence Nightingale pledge as a frame of reference upon which the rest of the movie is formulated. As the senate committee hearings progress, each of Miss Evers? rationales relate back to the pledge that we take as nurses and professionals.
I feel that she did and did not live up to the pledge. She lived up to the pledge in regard to the loyalty to aid the physician. Miss Evers? however, was unable to abstain from deleterious behavior by hiding the true identity of the Tuskegee Study.
Provision 2: The nurse?s primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group, or community. Specifically, 2.3, collaboration ? ?Collaboration is not just cooperation, but it is the concerted effort of individuals and groups to attain a shared goal. In health care, that goal is to address the health needs of the patient and the public? (Nursing World, 2015, p. 5). I believe Miss Evers personified Provision 2. She worked closely with the physicians in charge to improve the health of her community as the movie began and the Public Health Service began their treatment of ?bad blood?. She spoke at the level of the patient so as to assist in their understanding.
Provision 3: The nurse promotes, advocates for, and strives to protect the health, safety, and rights of the patient. Specifically, 3.3, protection of participants in research ? ?Stemming from the right to self-determination, each individual has the right to choose whether or not to participate in research? (Nursing World, 2014, p. 6). In my opinion, Nurse Evers violated Provision 3. Every person, all 412 of the men included in the Tuskegee study, had a right to know what they were being tested for, what treatment they were receiving or not, and if they wanted to participate.
Provision 4: The nurse is responsible and accountable for individual nursing practice and determines the appropriate delegation of tasks consistent with nurse?s obligation to provide optimum patient care. Specifically, 4.2, accountability for nursing judgment and action ? ?Accountability means to be answerable to oneself and others for one?s own action? Nurses are accountable for judgments made and actions taken in the course of nursing practice, irrespective of health care organizations? policies or providers? directives? (Nursing World, 2014, p. 8). I have mixed feelings about this provision. We are each responsible for our own actions. At no time during the course of the movie did Miss Evers ever place blame or accuse anyone else for the decisions she made. She provided exceptional nursing care, but she knew the men were not being treated. She knew this for the duration of the study, 40 years that the men were just going to get sicker.
The Principles of the Ethical Practice of Public Health (2014), utilizes key principles concerning health, community, and basis for action. It is easy for me to say in this day and age I would have challenged the physicians (I have a big mouth and voice my opinion). Would I have done the same had I been alive and nursing with Miss Evers? I could not tell you, but I would like to think I would. The best advice I could give her is to nurse as if that were one of her family members.