1. Choose a newborn health challenge such as Downs syndrome, cleft lip and palate, or absence of digits.
- a. How might parents from various cultures feel about the cause of this condition?
- b. How does this compare with the biomedical understanding?
2. An emergency room nurse is taking care of a 5-year-old boy who suffered trauma from a bike accident. His family identifies as Jehovahs Witnesses. The nurse explains that the boy may need a blood transfusion. The parents express concern because taking blood, including via blood transfusion, is discouraged by their religion, a stance with which they agree.
- a. How should the nurse discuss this situation with the parents and the interdisciplinary health care team?
- b. What do you think the best course of action should be?
- c. What are the primary ethical issues related to the refusal of blood transfusions in a child?
