Question

Describe an ethical conflict that one have encountered in the health care arena. Good facts make good ethics, so make sure that one provides a clear-but-brief fact statement of the nature of the ethical conflict and the stakeholders/parties involved. Then, pick one of the following three theories (principle of double effect, deontology, consequentialism) and apply it to the ethical scenario.

In applying the chosen theory to the scenario, briefly answer each of the following questions:

1. Describe the ethical conflict.

2. Briefly define/describe the chosen ethical theory, such as autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice.

3. How does the chosen theory apply to the facts?

4. What is the ultimate outcome or resolution that he or she analysis can leads he or she to? In other words, what does the theory tell he or she to do in the fact scenario?

The following example of the four principles has been provided to give an example of the level of depth I expect in an ethical analysis. Do not to use the four principles in the analysis; this is only to provided as an example of a good and thorough analysis that applies a theory.

Answer 1

An ethical conflict occurs where one party makes a decision that may see illegal or inappropriate to the third party. These ethical conflicts occur due to the conflict of decisions and slight shifts in the approaches that can affect the other within the organization, whether healthcare or to another person. The ethical conflict encountered in the health care arena is patient privacy and confidentiality, end-of-life issues, and malpractice or negligence related to the information, credibility, and relationships based on an everyday basis, with patients, other stakeholders, and families while facing ethical and legal decisions. According to the act, privacy has a major role and it is mandatory to protect the privacy and information irrespective of ethical conflicts.

The theory applicable to the above case is ‘principle of double effect’ and it means the theory itself describes that if the one doing something morally good has the same effect of morale bad and is ethically fine to provide the bad side effect wasn’t intended, or the statement is true even if you foresaw the bad effect would probably happen at the end.

1). In the above scenario, the patient privacy and confidentiality related to the treatment details, and medical condition information’s providing to the family, other stakeholders are not allowed morally as per the policies. If the patient family asked for the details of the patient, it is not supposed to provide the information ethically, and the conflict arises between the family and health care management. On the other side, the health care management protecting the data as per the ethical medical policies.

2). The chosen theory is the ‘Principle of double effect’ and it means the principle aims to provide specific guidelines for calculating whether it is morally valid or permissible to perform an action incomplete knowledge even if it brings about the bad effects through the action. In medical ethics, the system of moral principles includes value to the practices of health care and scientific researches in the hospital. In case of any conflicts, the medical professionals have to consider the values based on the ethics in the time being.

3). The chosen theory is connected to the patient and moral, it has the principle of double effect and the decision is solely valid for the decision of the patient itself, rather than the other stakeholders or patients family. The theory is more applicable to the facts, the privacy is mandatory for every human being, especially in terms of medical conditions. The health care professionals have to consider the specific guidelines for calculating whether it is morally valid or permissible to perform an action incomplete knowledge even if it brings about the bad effects through the action.

4). The theory is subject to the confidentiality and privacy terms of the patient. The patient can decide whether to reveal the privacy of the medical condition to the family or other stakeholders. The theory state the importance of holding medical privacy at the core of the moral disciplines, and the confidentiality conversations between the doctor and the patient. Always consider the medical ethics and in the emergency situation, consider the decision through the patient's viewpoint, consider the ethical principle to choose, or decide the distinctions to share the medical information with the closed one, family.