Nurses and other healthcare providers must realize the effects that deceptive practices have on their own integrity and well-being. The use of placebos threatens the inherent ethical values and norms of healthcare professionals as articulated in the ANA Code for Nurses. Nurses should not administer placebos in these circumstances even if there is a medical order. Recommendations Healthcare providers have an ethical obligation to work to ensure that policies are present within the institution that address the use of placebos and prohibit deceptive use for assessment or management of pain in their patients with cancer. Institutions need to develop educational programs to inform professionals about pain management, including the inappropriate use of placebos for cancer pain.
Ethics committees can be helpful in case discussions regarding the use of placebos.
A multi disciplinary team approach to cancer pain management is important to address complex issues in cancer pain management. Bibliography American Nurses Association. Code for nurses with interpretive statements. American Nurses Association. Position statement on comfort and relief of pain in dying patients.