Ethical Directives for My Health Care Practice
Madeline Chiang
PART ONE: Ethical Principles of Health Care Practice
Statement:
Ethical principles of health care practice are comprised of human dignity, preferential option for the poor, physician-patient relationship, and truth-telling. Human dignity refers to the sacredness of every human being and how each individual is worthy of respect simply by being a human being. Each individual, regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, etc., are rational agent, and the right to live is the fundamental right of each individual, which includes the right to healthcare. Individual autonomy should be respected, including their right to informed consent. The preferential option
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Physician-patient relationships require both the physician and patient to participate in healing through honesty, respect, trust, and privacy, and should follow the deliberative approach, which focuses on both autonomy and beneficence. Patients have the right to be given all possible information regarding their health and the freedom to consent to which treatment option they desire. During this process, physicians have the patient’s best interest at heart and promote health-related values, but it is ultimately the patient’s decision to adopt these values. Truth-telling refers to saying something that individuals believe to be true regardless of whether or not the matter itself is true or false, whereas lying refers to individuals holding a belief in their mind while saying something else that contradicts their belief. Healthcare professionals should be honest and not withhold information when communicating with patients despite the consequences unless there are extenuating circumstances that may danger the patient. This can help to …show more content…
When individuals visit their physician regarding certain troubling symptoms, physicians should inform their patients of all information that pertains to their complaint, including the etiology and treatment of symptoms. During this process, physicians can make suggestions to promote health-related values, such as try not to eat fatty foods to lower their cholesterol levels or try not to smoke to prevent lung cancer. However, it is ultimately the patient’s decision to adopt these values or not. This refers to the deliberative model of physician-patient relationships. Some might oppose this perspective as patients visit their physicians for the sole purpose of receiving healthcare and not to change or revise their values. Some patients might even see their physicians as authoritative figures and believe and trust what their physicians suggest, leading to a paternalistic approach of physician-patient relationships. However, medicine is an interdisciplinary field, where the physical, mental, and social components of each individual play a role in their health. When patients see their physicians, one of these components might be out of balance, leading to sickness. It is the physician’s goal to balance out these components, which leads them to suggest the revision of some values. Physicians can also emphasize autonomy, in which they
Eric Dishman’s Ted talk, “Healthcare Should be a Team Sport”, shares how today’s health care needs to conform and revolutionized to fit in today’s technological, and widespread society. A patient told him to take control of his health, and not let the doctors take control of him. Dishman goes into detail how the healthcare system is a “flawed expensive system that is set up in the wrong way” (2:07). The American health system is dependent on clinics and the occupants residing within, how specialists are necessary in the healthcare system to look at specific parts of us, and having passive patients that would follow the orders of a doctor, that might satisfy the appropriate issue at hand, and satisfying the individual patients’ needs.
With these seven factors, communicating about health, whether to the larger general public, or in a smaller clinical setting, would enforce a strong linkage between the public and healthcare. The considerations of health communications would allow for a better bridge to health any miscommunication that could occur. With this, there would be a drastic improvement in the health of individuals, families and communities. This has allowed me to reconsider all the factors that are relevant in not only communicating between patient to patient, but also educating the public on health concerns. As an aspiring provider, I hope to find a balance between these considerations in order to secure honesty with patients and the public.
In the end, the physician’s obligation ought to be to provide the best possible care and to inform; moreover, the patient still holds the ability to reject or accept, yet
I believe that our patients have many basic rights that must always be provided, and must always be upheld. Our ethical duty as healthcare professionals ensure that we must give our patients these basic rights so we can provide the highest level of care possible. These basic rights include, privacy, respect, and also patients should be given the opportunity to give informed consent, among many other things. First and foremost, our patients must always be provided with a high level of privacy. Privacy allows our patients to feel comfortable coming to our healthcare facility and not have to worry about their confidential medical information getting released to anyone from the outside.
I am able to offer patients information, resources, and helpful advice based on my experiences and the experiences of others in order to assist them in making well-informed healthcare decisions. I inform them of their condition, available options for treatment, and available support services so they are empowered to take an active role in their own care and recovery. I contribute to their overall understanding and give them the resources they need to advocate for themselves by supplying them with this peer-based knowledge. As a peer advocate, I also help to open up channels of communication between patients and medical staff. In order to make sure that their voices are heard and respected, I assist patients in expressing their worries, inquiries, and preferences.
In any profession, a risk presents itself in many ways. It can be directly from those who do or do not seek help. Doubt, skepticism, and hesitation are factors that destroy the trust a patient has in their doctor. Jerome Groopman and Perri Klass wrote reflective novels on misdiagnosis or “wrong calls” and much more in medicine. Short readings by Rudyard Kipling and Dhruv Khullar further define the distinction between a physician and a patient.
A moral dilemma that arises in a doctor-patient relationship is whether or not the doctor should always tell their patient the truth about their health. Although withholding information was a common practice in the past, in today’s world, patient autonomy is more important than paternalism. Many still are asking if it is ever morally permissible for a doctor to lie to a patient, though. David C. Thomasma writes that truth-telling is important as a right, a utility, and a kindness, but other values may be more important in certain instances. The truth is a right because respect for the person demands it.
Beginning with discussions of the sick role, and expectations of what is socially expected of a sick person, we learn that in contrast to the sick role, within society, physicians are expected to be competent and responsible (Parsons 1951: 293). Physicians are also, of course, members of a profession, where they learn how to embody their roles as expected by their practice, their patients, and society (Becker et al. 1961). Becoming a physician involves a process of socialization where trainees are exposed to the opinions of their peers, as well as the expectations of their instructors. This socialization in the role of a “physician” prepares physicians for the social role of their title, and gives physicians authority over trainees, patients, and medical discourse within the larger society (Friedson 2007 [1970]: 41-41). Physicians are experts; they have knowledge about the body and illness, which gives them power and a position of expertise (Foucault 1980
They think that having a discussion about this sensitive topic can help build trust between patients with their doctors, nurses, and others around them. For example, Doctor Schwartz, who spoke at the Society of General Internal Medicine annual meeting in Toronto said, “because conflicts over futility can create mistrust between family members and the healthcare system, the most important thing a doctor can do is work to build trust remembering that this is the process that doesn’t always happen immediately.” (Gesensway) Schwartz claims that even though there can be mistrust between doctors and their patients, one of the most important things is making sure that the patient is comfortable and that they are only suggesting these treatments to help them. However, doctor Schwartz’s method does not work with everybody. A random national sample of 1117 people asked citizens how they feel about aid-in-dying and if they think that having discussions about this topic can affect the trust of patients with their doctors.
If we as nurses respect the confidentiality of a patient, we should do so for all the patients. However, Griffith (2007) argues that the duty of confidence should not be absolute and nurses should always consider sharing information if required. Though the principle of respecting patient autonomy and their right to confidentiality is broken here, the principle of beneficence and non-maleficence is uphold. Nurses have an obligation to protect patient’s confidentiality but the duty to warn an innocent party of imminent harm is far more critical. Therefore, breaking confidentiality here is potentially doing more good than
They must ensure that they are providing adequate services to patients and at the same time ensuring that insurance companies are getting paid (Saint Joseph’s University, 2011, Para 6). Along with that they must secure that they are getting paid. Furthermore, physician moral and ethics are challenged as well; Thus, causing them to rethink how they take on their responsibilities as a medical care provider by trying to keep patients best interest, insurance companies interest and their own interests. This conflict with trying to meet the needs of several different stakeholders causes strain on the physician because they must walk fine line to please each. While trying to please a specific stakeholder another holder could be compromised.
Ethical Complexity of Distribute Justice and Rationing Medicine is a practice based on moral standards applied to clinical values and judgments, also known as medical ethics. Ethical values consists of beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy and justice. However, these ethical principles are affected when distributive justice and rationing of health care resources are implemented “…in a world in which need is boundless but resources are not…” (Scheunemann & White, 2011, p. 1630). The historic Hippocratic Oath described the four main principles of medical practice and established a moral conduct for clinicians. Beneficence demands that health care providers develop and maintain skills and knowledge, consider individual circumstances of all patients, and strive for the patient’s benefit.
The practice of health care includes many scenarios that have to do with making adequate decisions when it comes to a patient’s life, and the way they are treated. Having an ethical code in all health care organizations is very important, because it helps health care workers with reaching a suited and ethical decision when it comes to the patient. In health care, patient will always be put first, and their autonomy will always be respected. Nevertheless, when there is a situation where a patient might be in harm, or might be making their condition worse because of the decisions they made. Health care workers will always be there to
Ethical Issues in Healthcare There are many ethical issues facing health care at any time and it is impossible to say definitively which is the most pressing or the most important. Health care professionals are expected to base their practice on a set of ethical principles, including truthfulness, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, and confidentiality. Ethical issues can arise, however, when a l professional is called upon to act in opposition to personal values or in cases where the values of patient, health care worker, and sponsoring institution conflict. The following issues are presented in no order. Neonatal Ethics Neonates are babies within their first twenty-eight days of life.
Healthcare professionals mostly adopt patient rights, covering such matters as access to care, patient dignity, confidentiality, and consent to treatment.