Develop in detail a situation in which a health care worker might be confronted with ethical problems related to patients and prescription drug use OR patients in a state of poverty
Instructions
Develop in detail a situation in which a health care worker might be confronted with ethical problems related to patients and prescription drug use OR patients in a state of poverty.
- Each scenario must be original to you and this assignment. It cannot be from the discussion boards in this class or any other previous forum.
- Articulate (and then assess) the ethical solutions that can found using “care” (care-based ethics) and “rights” ethics to those problems.
- Assessment must ask if the solutions are flawed, practicable, persuasive, etc.
- What health care technology is involved in the situation? What moral guidelines for using that kind of healthcare technology should be used there? Explore such guidelines also using utilitarianism, Kantian deontology, ethical egoism, or social contract ethics.
- Say how social technologies such as blogs, crowdfunding, online encyclopedias can be used in either case. What moral guidelines for using that kind of healthcare technology should be used there? Develop such guidelines also using utilitarianism, Kantian deontology, ethical egoism, or social contract ethics.
You should not be using any text you used in a discussion board or assignment for this class or any previous class.
Cite the textbook and incorporate outside sources, including citations.
Writing Requirements (APA format)
- Length: 3-4 pages (not including title page or references page)
- 1-inch margins
- Double spaced
- 12-point Times New Roman font
- Title page
- References page (minimum of 2 scholarly source
Expert Answer and Explanation
Ethical Problems in Healthcare
Issues of ethics are common in healthcare settings, mostly confronted by healthcare providers in care delivery. These challenges make healthcare delivery a challenge, especially when a nurse is caught between meeting the needs of the patient and the needs of the healthcare organization (Peter, 2018).
In this paper, I will develop a situation in which a healthcare worker is confronted with a problem that is ethical in the course of healthcare delivery, articulate and assess the ethical solutions that can be established, identify the healthcare technology that is involved in the situation and the moral guidelines for using such technology, and establish how social technologies like blogs, online encyclopedias, and crowdfunding can get used in either case and the healthcare technology that can get used in such case.
Scenario
The situation in which a healthcare worker got confronted with an ethical problem that I identified is an emergency whereby the healthcare provider discovers that the patent needs an urgent organ transplant, but he does not have medical insurance. In this situation, the patient in critical care is a low-income earner and cannot pay for the necessary medical procedures. The hospital rules in this situation are that such procedures for treatment cannot be carried out on patients that do not have medical insurance or a way to guarantee that they can afford the payment required for such procedure.
In this case, the healthcare worker is caught in a dilemma between saving the life of the patient or following the guidelines provided by the hospital concerning the provision of certain care procedures to patients with medical insurance only. The healthcare worker is caught between fulfilling their duty to their patients, which is to provide care to the best of their ability and the organization’s rules.
Articulation and Assessment of Ethical solutions
Ethics of care in healthcare entail actions that show the patient that you care about their well-being. In the situation discussed above, an ethical solution based on care-based ethics would be to be emotionally supportive of the patient and help them find a solution to their problem (Moriggi et al., 2020).
For instance, the caregiver can share the information about his condition with their family and support them in working towards finding a solution to the problem by providing suggestions to the family on the options they can use like well-wishers or organizations that offer healthcare services to individuals that do not have medical insurance. Another way to show care would be to give hope to the patient to be optimistic about their situation, which would aid their healing process.
Rights-based ethics provide that a particular action would be considered to be ethically correct if it respects the rights of individuals (Lasalvia et al., 2019). In the situation above, the care provider will have to identify a solution that respects the rights of the patient. In this case, the patient has a right to access to care and a universal right to life. As such, the care provider has to protect his right to care to the best of their ability by ensuring that they get the best attainable standard of health.
In this situation, the ethical solution would be to treat the patient and ensure that they get basic treatment while trying to find a solution to their financial challenges, as the principles of nursing practice require that the patient’s rights are protected at all costs, as it is also the duty of the care provider to the patient.
It may be challenging to conduct the organ transplant without the approval of the other healthcare providers in charge of the organization because the healthcare provider will have to obtain consent from the organization to perform such procedures. However, when it is a matter of life and death, the healthcare provider is under an obligation to protect the life of the patient.
Technology
The healthcare technology that will be involved in the situation discussed above, which entails a patient that needs a liver transplant for survival, will be the electronic health records which will be used in keeping a record of all the procedures of treatment that the patient gets provided by the healthcare provider (Curtis et al., 2018). It also keeps the health history and the records of the medications that have been administered to the patient while receiving care.
The moral guidelines that should be applied in the use of this technology include nonmaleficence in which the healthcare worker is required to remain competitive in using this technology and provide the best possible care. Another guideline is fidelity in which the healthcare worker is required to keep their commitment to the health of the patient based on the caring virtue. These guidelines fit well with the ethics of utilitarianism, which focuses on consequences such that the healthcare worker has to provide care that amounts to the best possible care to the patient.
Social Technologies
The social technologies that will be used in this case include social networking sites like Facebook, Instagram, and other internet sites to get support for the patient in terms of helping raise the necessary funds for them to be able to afford the required procedure for their survival. These sites can be used to appeal to well-wishers to help with the current situation and the government to provide ways through which low-income earners can be able to access critical care.
The internet will, therefore, be used in advocating for the right to access care, which should be universal and available to everyone. The moral guideline for using the internet in this situation is based on the principle of justice, which requires that all patients be treated equally and in a fair manner (Small, 2019). It’s only just that every patient has access to the best quality of care. This is based on social contract theory, which is about how benefits should be distributed in society, and in this situation, it’s about the distribution of healthcare benefits and that everyone in society should have equal access to care.
Conclusion
The above discussion presents an analysis of an ethical problem that healthcare providers can be faced within the delivery of care. They end up being caught in an ethical dilemma between doing what is right for the patient based on the ethical principles of nursing and abiding by the rules that have been set by the organization. While dealing with these ethical issues, they have to ensure that they provide the best possible care to the patient and ensure that the rights of patients are protected.
References
Curtis, J. R., Sathitratanacheewin, S., Starks, H., Lee, R. Y., Kross, E. K., Downey, L., … & Lindvall, C. (2018). Using electronic health records for quality measurement and accountability in care of the seriously ill: opportunities and challenges. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 21(S2), S-52.
Lasalvia, A., Ventriglio, A., Colizzi, M., & Bellomo, A. (2019). Stigma as the main obstacle in health care and human rights among people with mental disorders. A rights-based ethics approach. RIVISTA SPERIMENTALE DI FRENIATRIA.
Moriggi, A., Soini, K., Franklin, A., & Roep, D. (2020). A care-based approach to transformative change: ethically-informed practices, relational response-ability & emotional awareness. Ethics, Policy, and Environment.
Peter, E. (2018). Overview and summary: Ethics in healthcare: Nurses respond. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(1).
Small, P. M. (2019). Structural justice and nursing: Inpatient nurses’ obligation to address the social justice needs of patients. Nursing Ethics, 26(7-8), 1928-1935.
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FAQs
Ethical problems related to patients in a state of poverty
Patients who are living in a state of poverty often face a range of ethical problems that can affect their ability to access healthcare and receive appropriate treatment. Some of the key ethical issues related to patients in poverty include:
- Access to healthcare: One of the most significant ethical problems facing patients in poverty is the lack of access to healthcare services. Without adequate resources to pay for medical care, patients may struggle to get the treatment they need. This can lead to a wide range of health issues going untreated, which can have serious consequences for the patient’s health and well-being.
- Inadequate healthcare quality: Patients in poverty may also face ethical problems related to the quality of healthcare they receive. For example, they may receive substandard care or be treated differently because of their socioeconomic status. This can lead to further health problems and exacerbate existing health conditions.
- Stigma and discrimination: Patients living in poverty may also face stigma and discrimination from healthcare providers or other members of society. This can make it more difficult for them to access care, and can also contribute to feelings of shame and isolation.
- Informed consent: Patients in poverty may also face challenges related to informed consent. For example, they may not fully understand their treatment options, or may not be able to afford treatments that they are offered. This can create ethical dilemmas for healthcare providers, who must balance the patient’s right to autonomy with the need to provide appropriate care.
- Resource allocation: Finally, patients in poverty may be affected by ethical dilemmas related to resource allocation. For example, if a hospital is facing limited resources, providers may be forced to make difficult decisions about which patients to prioritize for treatment. This can create ethical dilemmas related to fairness and justice, as well as patient outcomes.
Overall, patients in poverty face a range of ethical problems that can have serious consequences for their health and well-being. Healthcare providers, policymakers, and society as a whole must work to address these issues and ensure that all patients have access to high-quality, ethical healthcare services.
Ethical issues in addictive and substance use disorder counseling
Counseling for addictive and substance use disorders can raise a number of ethical issues. Some of the key ethical issues related to this type of counseling include:
- Confidentiality: Confidentiality is a crucial ethical issue in any type of counseling, and it is especially important in the context of addiction and substance use disorder counseling. Patients may be hesitant to seek treatment if they are worried about their personal information being shared, so counselors must be careful to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of their patients.
- Informed Consent: Informed consent is another important ethical issue in counseling for addiction and substance use disorders. Patients must be fully informed about the risks and benefits of treatment, as well as any potential side effects or adverse outcomes. This information should be presented in a way that patients can understand, and they should have the opportunity to ask questions and make informed decisions about their treatment.
- Dual Relationships: Dual relationships can arise when a counselor has a personal or professional relationship with a patient outside of the counseling setting. This can create ethical issues in addiction and substance use disorder counseling, as patients may be vulnerable and may not be able to make informed decisions about the nature of the relationship. Counselors must be careful to maintain appropriate boundaries and avoid any conflicts of interest.
- Stigma and Discrimination: Patients with addiction and substance use disorders may face stigma and discrimination from healthcare providers, friends, family, and society as a whole. Counselors must be sensitive to these issues and work to create a safe and nonjudgmental environment for their patients.
- Treatment Planning and Implementation: Treatment planning and implementation can also raise ethical issues in addiction and substance use disorder counseling. Counselors must be careful to provide evidence-based treatment that is appropriate for each patient’s unique needs, and they must ensure that patients are not subjected to unnecessary or harmful treatments.
Ethical issues in alcohol abuse
Alcohol abuse can raise a number of ethical issues, particularly in the context of healthcare and medical treatment. Some of the key ethical issues related to alcohol abuse include:
- Stigma and Discrimination: People with alcohol abuse disorder can experience significant stigma and discrimination from healthcare providers, friends, family, and society as a whole. This can make it more difficult for individuals to seek treatment and can exacerbate feelings of shame and isolation.
- Informed Consent: Informed consent is a crucial ethical issue in the treatment of alcohol abuse. Patients must be fully informed about the risks and benefits of treatment, as well as any potential side effects or adverse outcomes. This information should be presented in a way that patients can understand, and they should have the opportunity to ask questions and make informed decisions about their treatment.
- Dual Relationships: Dual relationships can arise when healthcare providers have a personal or professional relationship with a patient outside of the medical setting. This can create ethical issues in the treatment of alcohol abuse, as patients may be vulnerable and may not be able to make informed decisions about the nature of the relationship. Healthcare providers must be careful to maintain appropriate boundaries and avoid any conflicts of interest.
- Confidentiality: Confidentiality is another important ethical issue in the treatment of alcohol abuse. Patients may be hesitant to seek treatment if they are worried about their personal information being shared, so healthcare providers must be careful to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of their patients.
- Resource Allocation: Finally, resource allocation can create ethical dilemmas in the treatment of alcohol abuse. If resources are limited, healthcare providers may be forced to make difficult decisions about which patients to prioritize for treatment. This can create ethical dilemmas related to fairness and justice, as well as patient outcomes.
