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Examples Of Ethical Issues In Healthcare

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The Ethical Issue Stated In this case, there are conflicting responsibilities and loyalties. The medical team feels strongly that the patient (Sarah) has a mental illness that requires hospitalization to ensure her safety. Although she is not agreeable to psychiatric admission, Sarah has demonstrated significant acts of self-harm and has lost the ability in her situational stress, mood disorder, and intoxicated state to make decisions that are in her best interest. She is clearly a danger to herself, and in good faith the medical team feels that it is their duty to provide services that will protect and rehabilitate the patient, Sarah. The nurse feels as if she needs to advocate for the patient’s best interests. However, there is always …show more content…
The basic underlying principle of an involuntary psychiatric hospitalization that presents to the medical staff is the conflict between the ethical duties of beneficence versus respect for the patient’s self-autonomy. In order to respect human dignity, a patient has a right to self-determination, which means that they have the legal right to determine what will be done with their own person (ANA, 2015). On the other hand, healthcare providers are bound by the professional obligation to help patients. The ethical principle of beneficence requires that patients are given services that will fully provide positive advantages (Tarlier, 2004). At this juncture, it is unknown if Sarah will act on her thoughts and plans of self- harm again. It is possible for her to continue with outpatient treatment following her discharge from the Intensive Care Unit. The questions raised are: Does Sarah really need involuntary psychiatric admission to an inpatient unit? Will the inpatient behavioral health services provide better benefits for the patient versus outpatient management? It is clear that the confusion may lie in the interpretation of what constitutes ‘beneficial’ versus ‘non-beneficial’. Another ethical principle to consider in this case is non-maleficence – the duty to “do no harm.” However, this includes “not acting” as well. By “not acting” and proceeding with the officer’s current plan, is it possible that the …show more content…
The deontological approach would emphasize fairness and would allow the patient to have autonomous decision making regardless of the suspected outcome. Furthermore, person-centered ethical caring emphasizes the need to care for one another and to develop personal interconnectedness. Healthcare professionals must feel morally responsible to protect vulnerable patients/individuals (Cameron, 2000). According to the Code of Ethics for Nurses by the American Nurses Association (2015), “Respect for patient decisions does not require that the nurse agree with or support all patient choices” (p. 1). In fact, when patient choices are self-destructive, nurses have the duty to address the behavior and offer resources to either promote positive changes or eliminate risks (ANA,

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