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Merits and demerits of deontological ethical theory
Characteristics of deontological ethics
Merits and demerits of deontological ethical theory
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In the case of Riser v. American Medical Int’l, Inc., Riser, a 69-year-old mother of four children, was suffering from circulation complications in her lower arms and hands. She had a history of several conditions such as diabetes mellitus, end-stage renal failure, and arteriosclerosis. The physician at Hospital A, Dr. Sottiurai, requested bilateral arteriograms to find the etiology of Riser’s circulation problems. However, Hospital A could not fulfill Dr. Sottiurai’s request, so Riser was transferred to Hospital B under the care of Dr. Lang, who was a radiologist. At this instance, Dr. Lang mistakenly performed a femoral arteriogram instead of the bilateral arteriogram that Dr. Sottiurai had originally ordered, and after the procedure when Riser was on her way to be …show more content…
American Medical Int’l, Inc. According to this theory, individuals’ decisions are guided by what they are supposed to do, not by consequences or effects. That is to say, a person’s action is ethically right if it coincides with a prevailing moral duty (“Deontological Ethics,” 2007). In the dilemma involving the patient Riser, Dr. Lang violated the theory of deontological ethics by not performing his duty of acquiring informed consent from the patient. By standard of conduct, Dr. Lang was supposed to present a consent form to Riser prior to the operation that would explain the procedure of a femoral arteriogram (although it was supposed to be bilateral arteriograms instead) and thoroughly explain the possible benefits and risks of the procedure. As a result, the patient should have the right to decide whether the femoral arteriogram should be performed or not. However, Riser was not aware of the femoral arteriogram at all. Therefore, deontological ethics should have been followed, which would advise Dr. Lang to follow the ethical duties of a healthcare professional, and those include obtaining informed consent from the
Adae Cynthia’s husband telephoned Dr. Avera about Cynthia’s hospitalization and relayed that she was suffering from continuing pain. Upon Dr. Avera's recommendation that he should transport his wife to the Middletown Regional Hospital emergency room, where Cynthia was seen by Tao Nguyen, M.D. They started by giving Cynthia a CT scan of her chest and head, which ended up being negative result for pulmonary embolism but it did reveal a sinus infection. Dr. Nguyen requested copies of her medical records from Clinton memorial hospital but Clinton’s record department was closed for the weekend. Dr. Nguyen discussed Cynthia’s case with Dr. Avera and instructed her to follow up with Dr. Avera on Monday, July 3. She was discharged with a prescription for pain medication. On the same day laboratory reported to a resident on duty that Cynthia’s blood cultures were showing gram positive cocci in clusters. The next day the laboratory reported to Dr.Pesante the Cynthia’s blood cultures were positive for staphylococcus aureus. Neither the resident on duty nor Dr. Pesante contacted Dr. Bain or the attending physician on-call about Cynthia’s blood culture results. The trial court found it unclear whether any Clinton memorial hospital employee attempted to contact appellees or Dr. Avera. Dr. Avera said if he would have learned of the positive blood culture she would have admitted her immediately to hospital and would have empirically started her on antibiotics and then
Case citation: Awkerman v. Tri-County Orthopedic Group, 373 N.W.2d 204 (Mich. Ct. App. 1985). (Child abuse reporting)
UST Inc. is a dominant player in the smokeless tobacco industry. We have been tasked with weighing the cost and benefits of having leverage in their capital structure and to advise the CEO whether or not to go ahead with the recapitalization. After solving for UST’s credit ratings and value given three different stock buyback scenarios, $700 million, $1 billion, and $1.5 billion, we would suggest that UST move forward with the recap at $1 billion.
In the plaintiff’s suit, he alleged the surgery did not go well because the hospital had hired a surgeon, who was not competent or qualified enough to perform the surgery therefore; the hospital was just as negligent as the doctor was. Before the trial date, Dr. Salinsky and his insurance company, Employers Mutual Liability Insurance Company of Wisconsin, settled with plantiff out of court on the basis they will be released from the suit upon payment of $140,000 (Johnson v. Misericordia Community Hospital). Although, Salinsky settled with plaintiff prior to trial, there was still “question of whether he was negligent in the manner in which he performed the operation on July 11, 1975, remained an issue at trial, as it was incumbent upon the plaintiff to prove that Salinsky was negligent in this respect to establish a
According to Terrence F. Ackerman, as of the 1980s the American Medical Association had to include the respect for a person’s autonomy as a principle of medical ethics (Ackerman 14, 1982). This includes having the physician provide all the medical information to the patient even if the information could cause negative implication onto the patient. The physician is also expected to withhold all information of the patient from 3rd parties (Ackerman 14, 1982). Although it is seen as standard in today’s world, in
Ohio Dep’t of Rehabilitation & Correction are the poor-quality patient care that Tomcik received and Tomcik’s health being at risk. Once engaged in a doctor-patient relationship, physicians are obligated to provide the best possible care for the patient by utilizing their skills and knowledge as expected from a competent physician under the same or similar conditions (“What Is a Doctor’s Duty of Care?” n.d.). However, in Tomcik’s situation, Dr. Evans did not deliver high-quality care, for he administered a perfunctory breast examination and thus did not follow standard protocols. There is evidence of indifference conveyed by Dr. Evans, and the lack of proper care towards Tomcik is an issue that can be scrutinized and judged appropriately. Additionally, Tomcik’s health was at risk due to the failure of a proper physical evaluation and the incredibly long delay in diagnosis and treatment. The negligence from Dr. Evans, along with the lack of medical attention sought out by Tomcik after she had first discovered the lump in her breast, may contribute to Tomcik’s life being in danger as well as the emotional anguish she may have felt during that time period. Overall, the incident of Tomcik’s expectations from the original physician and other employees at the institution not being met is an ethical issue that should be dealt with
Healthcare creates unique dilemmas that must consider the common good of every patient. Medical professionals, on a frequent basis, face situations that require complicated, and at times, difficult decision-making. The medical matters they decide on are often sensitive and critical in regards to patient needs and care. In the Case of Marguerite M and the Angiogram, the medical team in both cases were faced with the critical question of which patient gets the necessary medical care when resources are limited. In like manner, when one patient receives the appropriate care at the expense of another, medical professionals face the possibility of liability and litigation. These medical circumstances place a burden on the healthcare professionals to think and act in the best interest of the patient while still considering the ethical and legal issues they may confront as a result of their choices and actions. Medical ethics and law are always evolving as rapid advances in all areas of healthcare take place.
Medical error occurs more than most people realize and when a doctor is found negligent the patient has the right to sue for compensation of their losses. Debates and issues arise when malpractice lawsuits are claimed. If a patient is filing for a medical malpractice case, the l...
Today, there are so many legal dilemmas dominating trial for the courts to make a sound legal decision on whose right in a complicated situation. Despite the outcome of the case, the disagreement usually has a profound effect on the healthcare organization, and the industry as a whole. Many cases are arguments centered around if the issue is a legal or moral principle. Regardless what the situation maybe, the final decision is left to the courts to differentiate between the legality issues at hand opposed to justifying a case based on moral rules. According to Pozgar (2012), an ethical dilemma arises in situations where a choice must be made between unpleasant alternative. It can occur whenever a choice involves giving up something good and suffering something bad, no matter what course of action is taken (p. 367). In this paper, I will discuss cases that arose in the healthcare industry that have been tried and brought to justice by the United States court system.
When one initially chooses a career path, one rarely looks at all the negatives that may be associated with that choice. Most career paths have some negatives associated with the field, but few face the moral dilemmas associated with modern healthcare. Those who choose to be in the healthcare profession today are faced with moral and ethical dilemmas that would make King Solomon tear his hair out. In many cases, doctors, and sometimes nurses, are faced with life and death decisions without the benefit of knowing the patient’s, or the patient’s family’s, wishes. However, aside from those tragic times when a patient’s wishes are unknown, healthcare professionals must always put their own morals aside, and act
Paramedics deemed the patient competent and therefore Ms. Walker had the right to refuse treatment, which held paramedics legally and ethically bound to her decisions. Although negligent actions were identified which may have resulted in a substandard patient treatment, paramedics acted with intent to better the patient despite unforeseen future factors. There is no set structure paramedics can follow in an ethical and legal standpoint thus paramedics must tailor them to every given
Medical ethics could be so many different thing mostly bad.There's so many stories about medical ethics this this story about this girl. At the age of 13 she was diagnosed with a rare and fated type of cancer.The survived and was cleaned that didn't have cancer. Then 10 years later she fought for her life again, she had sergey. After the Surgery there was no where no sign of the cancer. There years later she married and she became pregnant because of her health history she went to a clinic so they could watch her pregnancy.She had to go back to the clinic for having a lung tumor. She want to be in the best health, surgery was not an option. Her baby was too small to be born yet ,” meaning too premature.” (Thornton )She wanted to keep treating her cancer but, the doctors said that should wait until 28 weeks.She waited and the doctors she it was too dangerous and they wouldn’t help.So they want to cort.The court made it distion and at time is was very ill. The court order a surguy but the doctor said that if she goes into surgery she might not make it. She refused, but the doctors could not refused the courts orders. She was rolled into the surgery room. she made it into through the surgery, but two days later she died. She ...
Medical malpractice cases are difficult for the families who have lost their loved one or have suffered from severe injuries. No one truly wins in complicated court hearings that consist of a team of litigation attorneys for both the defendant and plaintiff(s). During the trial, evidence supporting malpractice allegations have to be presented so that the court can make a decision if the physician was negligent resulting in malpractice, or if the injury was unavoidable due to the circumstances. In these types of tort cases, the physician is usually a defendant on trial trying to prove that he or she is innocent of the medical error, delay of treatment or procedure that caused the injury. The perfect example of being at fault for medical malpractice as a result of delaying a procedure is the case of Waverly family versus John Hopkins Health System Corporation. The victims were not compensated enough for the loss of their child’s normal life. Pozgar (2012) explained….
6). Good intention is the main moral principle considered and consequences are irrelevant (Joel, 2013, p. 526). Seemingly, the deontological ideology focuses on the actions of the agent and would disregard patient focus and individuality. It is difficult to apply contemporary ethical theories to the nurse because of the values of the nursing profession. “Contemporary ethical theories do not lend themselves to the health-care professions or to ethically defensible decisions in health-care practice. None of the dominant ethical theories could be discovered in, or derived from, the profession of nursing” (Joel, 2013, p. 526). Casuistry, while not an ethical theory, is a case-based approach to practical decision-making. Cases that have set precedence are identified and comparisons are made using similarities, differences, and previous experiences. This concept is used to complement ethical theories in patient decision making by clinical ethics committees (Slowther, Johnston, Goodall, & Hope, 2004, § C4). Personally and professionally balancing ethical perspectives to be able to consider all details on a case by case basis seems like a more appropriate
McGee, Glenn and Arthur L. Caplan. "Medical Ethics." Microsoft® Encarta® 98 Encyclopedia. © 1993-1997: Microsoft Corporation. CD-ROM.