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Student Name: Flores, Nicole

A03538418

1.4 Current Issues in Maternal/Newborn Nursing Case Study

Case Study Questions

A couple is expecting their third child. The father has a family history of leukemia.The couple recently read an article about cord blood banking, and they asked thenurse for more information. They specifically want information on the procedureand its purpose, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of cord bloodbanking.

1. The couple asks about the purpose of and procedure for cord blood banking. What isan appropriate response by the nurse?

The purpose of cord blood banking is to save and store umbilical cord blood (stem-cells) after

your babys birth in the case that medical treatment is necessary to save an eligible bloodmatched patients life.

The procedure is painless and simple. After the birth of ones baby and the umbilical cord is cut,the remaining blood from the cord to taken and saved. It is sent to a laboratory to becryogenically frozen and stored.

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of cord blood banking over bone marrowtransplants?

Cord blood stem cells are biologically younger and more flexible than adult stem cells (from

bone marrow). Preservation of cord blood stem cells protects the cell from aging and exposureto environmental factors. The procedure to collect cord blood is simple and painless versus thecollection of bone marrow. There have also been reports that cord blood stem cells run less riskof complications when used in transplants.

Some disadvantages are that core blood collection results in a very small amount of stem cells.This could be a problem for an adult that may need more stem cells for transplant. In a rarecase (1 in 10,000), cord blood can expose a patient to rare genetic disorders of the immunesystem.

3. What are the ethical issues associated with cord blood banking?

Cord blood stem cells are not embryonic stem cells, so the ethical use of them isntcontroversial. Any ethics involved in cord blood banking involves the public usage of cord bloodstem cells from other donors. Some people are concerned about the quality assurance and cordblood banks.

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4. What is the purpose of the nurse using a formal decision-making model whenconfronted with ethical dilemmas of nursing practice?

The purpose of using a formal decision-making model is to help guide the nurse with nonbiasedinformative counseling with a patient. The model helps to objectively present the advantagesand disadvantages associated with the decision the patient needs to make.

5. What are the implications for nursing practice related to ethical issues?

The major principles of healthcare ethics that must be upheld in all situations arebeneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice. Nurses need to distinguish betweentheir personal values and their professional ethics. Personal judgments that lead to biasmust be avoided. Patients should be treated fairly and nurses must act in the best interestof patients. The Nursing Code of Ethics helps to outline nurses primary commitment totheir profession.

Resources

Apurva.Advantages and Disadvantages of Cord Blood Treatment. 2009. http://www.disabled-world.com/news/research/stemcells/cord-blood-treatment.php

Cord Blood Banking. Benefits of Cord Blood Banking Questions. 2013.http://www.cordblood.com/benefits-cord-blood/cord-blood-faqs#question4