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Ethics in the medical field
Ethics in the medical field
Ethics in the medical field
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In the medical field, there are many ethical dilemmas that a person could face. One of the major dilemmas in the medical field comes from being a doctor. While attending to a patient/ client the doctor may not know the best treatment or course of action to take because of the many options there could be. The values and beliefs of a doctor can’t interfere with the treatment of a patient/client. Their job is to be honest, benevolent, respectful, and to maintain confidentiality of the patient/client. DEONTOLOGICAL: I honestly believe that doctors should do whatever it is to take care of a patient/client. If that means that they have to bring their own beliefs then so be it. Doctors should do all that they can to save a life and take care of others. That’s their job. TELEOLOGICAL: If there is no hope for a patient then doctors should in no way keep it from them. All options that are available to help them should be present. If the patient/client chooses an option that the doctor knows isn’t the best one then, a little white lie to persuade them to choose the option that is the...
One of the most complex, ever-changing careers is the medical field. Physicians are not only faced with medical challenges, but also with ethical ones. In “Respect for Patients, Physicians, and the Truth”, by Susan Cullen and Margaret Klein, they discuss to great extent the complicated dilemmas physicians encounter during their practice. In their publication, Cullen and Klein discuss the pros and cons of disclosing the medical diagnosis (identifying the nature or cause of the disease), and the prognosis (the end result after treating the condition). But this subject is not easily regulated nor are there guidelines to follow. One example that clearly illustrates the ambiguity of the subject is when a patient is diagnosed with a serious, life-threatening
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.
At first, I believed that a patient should have the say so and get what they demand. I didn’t feel sympathetic for the health care provider one bit. I was able to look through the eyes of a physician and see the trials that they have to go through. It is not easy making the decisions that they have to make. There job is based on decisions, and most of it is the patient’s. “There will certainly be times when I will be faced with a request from a patient or patient’s representative that I will personally find morally difficult, but one that is still legally and ethically acceptable. must be very difficult to work in an area with little control over what you want to do.” (Bradley 1). Even though I do not fully understand a health care providers everyday role, I do know that they are faced with painful options. I personally feel that I can not work in this field for that exact reason. Health care providers play an extremely important role in our society, and others need to look upon
Siegler, M., and W. Winslade. "Ethics in Medicine." Clinical Ethics. By A. R. Jonsen. 7th ed. N.p.:
This decision also has to be evaluated on the basis of internal criteria. For the internal criteria, a person has to look inside oneself to evaluate the decision. Does the person feel satisfied with the decision and promote these values? The doctor’s decision does not give the inner sense of contentment; we experience “hate, discontent…confusion” (Panicola 71). Nobody wants to become a liar, thus it is not consistent with the kind of a person one would want to become.
Medical professionals are trusted by patients. Therefore, they must understand these distinctions and be prepared to speak clearly and honestly about the subject of death and illness. I think that they should communicate without giving false hope. I feel that this could be better accomplished by better equipping doctors to deal with the realities of terminal illness. This would require more training in the field of palliative medicine and geriatrics. Physicians should be trained how and when
1)What are the norms in the Bridgewater State Hospital during the filming of this documentary? What social values do you think are represented by these norms?
In “Should Doctors Tell the Truth?” Joseph Collins argues for paternalistic deception, declaring that it is permissible for physicians to deceive their patients when it is in their best interests. Collins considers his argument from a “pragmatic” standpoint, rather than a moral one, and uses his experience with the sick to justify paternalistic deception. Collins argues that in his years of practicing, he has encountered four types of patients who want to know the truth: those that want to know so they know how much time they have left, those who do not want to know and may suffer if told the truth, those who are incapable of hearing the truth, and those who do not have a serious diagnosis (605). Collins follows with the assertion that the more serious the condition is, the less likely the patient is to seek information about their health (606).
Doctors are well respected within the realm of American society and are perceived with the highest regard as a profession. According to Gallup’s Honesty and Ethics in Profession polls, 67% of respondents believe that “the honesty and ethical standards” of medical doctors were “very high.” Furthermore, 88% of respondents polled by Harris Polls considered doctors to either “hold some” or a “great deal of prestige”. Consequently, these overwhelmingly positive views of the medical profession insinuate a myth of infallibility that envelops the physicians and the science they practice. Atul Gawande, in Complications: A Surgeon’s Notes on an Imperfect Science, provides an extensive view of the medical profession from both sides of the operating table
To find answers, physicians must use ethical philosophies and principles to determine the problems and benefits of any course of action.
It is also morally correct to realize that one must work within the limits of their knowledge, the Physician Assistant or doctor must not over step their boundaries, this could hold one liable for the outcomes, especially when they do not have professional knowledge of the subject being addressed.
Respecting a person’s sovereignty is essential when working in the medical field. The “rules” of upholding one’s autonomy is to respect the privacy of others, to not lie, to maintain confidentiality, to obtain consent, and to advise one when needed. Physicians should dismiss a person lacking the capacity to make decisions for themselves however it will defy the “ to obtain consent” and “to respect the privacy of others”
As an aspiring Occupational Therapist, I feel that it is incredibly important to have a strong set of values. I believe that this is important because, by understanding my own values and beliefs I can most appropriately respect and understand those of the people around me. As an Occupational Therapist, I will need to have a specific understanding of my client’s values and beliefs and well as other professionals. I will need to do that to assure that I am working most effectively with those individuals. The core of all my beliefs have to do with helping people live their lives to the greatest potential possible. I believe that everyone has activities that they find hard to do, and often avoid doing them. As an Occupational Therapist I want to
In this diverse society we are confronted everyday with so many ethical choices in provision of healthcare for individuals. It becomes very difficult to find a guideline that would include a border perspective which might include individual’s beliefs and preference across the world. Due to these controversies, the four principles in biomedical ethic which includes autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice help us understand and explain which medical practices are ethical and acceptable. These principles are not only used to protect the rights of a patient but also the physician from being violated.
Ideology is a way of thinking that reflect the social needs and political doctrines of an individual or group. There are many different people and different circumstances this results in a variety of different ways of thinking, values and beliefs. Our ideology grows with us from childhood. From the moment you are born the family influence begins to impact your thought process.