Applying Ethical Principles For Learners At Capella Universi ✓ Solved

Applying Ethical Principles Learner’s Name Capella University Developing a Health Care Perspective Applying Ethical Principles

Health care professionals often face ethical problems during their practice that require them to use their moral values and principles when making decisions. The four fundamental principles of health care ethics—autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice—act as yardsticks for fair and ethical decision-making. These ethical principles are widely accepted in the field of health care. Medical practitioners and health care administrators often use these principles to make decisions when faced with complex situations involving patients.

Overview of the Case Study Betsy is a dedicated pediatric nurse known for the care and concern she shows her patients. Her neighbor and friend, Alice, lives with her husband and 4-year-old daughter, Shirley. Alice and her husband are followers of Christian Science, a belief that advocates spiritual healing and discourages most types of medical intervention. One day, when visiting Alice and Shirley, Betsy sees Shirley experience what seems like a seizure. The child suddenly becomes unresponsive and has a brief staring spell, with her eyes rolling upward.

The episode lasts for 20 seconds, during which she seems completely unaware of her surroundings. While Shirley is having the seizure, Alice sits by her side and prays but takes no other action. Betsy is concerned about the little girl’s condition and probes her friend for details. Alice tells Betsy that Shirley used to have around 15–20 such episodes a day until a few months ago; this has now reduced to about 12. Alice attributes the improvement in Shirley’s health to her prayers and faith.

However, this does not help Betsy feel comfortable about Shirley’s condition. She is almost certain that Shirley has epilepsy, which, if not treated on time, could have profound health implications. At the very least, she thinks Alice should have Shirley’s symptoms accurately diagnosed. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Betsy sets up a meeting with Shirley’s parents and Dr. Campbell, director of the neurology department at her hospital. She treats this meeting as an intervention, and both she and Dr. Campbell express their concern for Shirley’s health.

They stress on the fact that the improvement in Shirley’s symptoms does not necessarily mean she will be cured. They empathize with Alice and her husband’s reluctance on account of their religious faith but reiterate the importance of getting Shirley’s symptoms diagnosed. To prove their point, they present studies that describe how seizures can be indicative of illnesses such as epilepsy, which could negatively affect her cognition and behavior. Shirley’s parents are grateful that Betsy and Dr. Campbell are concerned about their daughter’s health but remain resolute about going against their faith. They believe that prayer will cure her.

Betsy is faced with an ethical dilemma of whether she should respect the parents’ religious beliefs and not intervene in the matter or perform her moral obligation as a health care professional. The main factor that led to Betsy’s ethical dilemma is Shirley’s parents’ refusal of medical assistance for their daughter owing to their Christian Science beliefs. When Betsy notices Shirley’s seizures, she thinks it is her duty to make sure Shirley receives medical attention. She respects the religious faith and belief of Shirley’s parents, so she explains the risks that seizures could involve.

She also includes Dr. Campbell in the conversation so that he could provide an objective opinion to make them understand the need for medical intervention. However, Shirley’s parents are certain that prayer will cure her seizures. Considering that their attitude could result in serious health implications for Shirley, Betsy is concerned about the little girl receiving appropriate medical attention. Using the Ethical Decision-Making Model to Analyze the Case Study The three components of the ethical decision-making model—moral awareness, moral judgment, and ethical behavior—can help analyze the ethical issue outlined in the case study.

Whereas moral awareness is knowledge of the existence of an ethical dilemma, moral judgment involves choosing between the right and wrong actions when posed with such a dilemma. Both moral awareness and moral judgment lead to ethical behavior. Betsy’s moral awareness is reflected by the fact that she recognizes the circumstances surrounding Shirley’s condition. Her moral judgment is reflected by her decision to try to convince Shirley’s parents to get Shirley medical help because she believed that it was the right thing to do.

Betsy’s ethical behavior constitutes the action she takes to resolve the dilemma. This, in turn, depends on her personal judgment and the four principles of health care ethics (autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice) she should abide by as a health care professional. Effectiveness of Communication Approaches in the Case Study Listening plays an important role in patient–physician communication. By listening to Alice, Betsy learns of the frequency of Shirley’s seizures and the reduction in their occurrence.

She also learns that Alice and her husband believe that this reduction is due to their prayers and faith in Christian Science. Therefore, active listening helps Betsy understand the situation better. Betsy is aware that if she decides to get medical help for Shirley without the consent of Shirley’s parents, she would be violating their right to informed consent and overstepping her boundaries as a health care professional. So, she decides to present them with the information they need to make an informed decision. She maintains an open communication with Shirley’s parents while explaining the impact of seizures on their daughter’s health.

She stresses the importance of immediate diagnosis of Shirley’s seizures. Thus, by being respectful of Shirley’s parents’ emotions and providing them with complete information about the problem, Betsy communicates the situation to them in an effective manner. During the discussion with Shirley’s parents, both Betsy and Dr. Campbell are empathetic toward Alice and her husband’s reluctance to get the necessary medical help for their daughter on account of their religious faith. Betsy involves Dr. Campbell so that he can share his objective expert opinion based on his experience with similar symptoms. She probably thought that Shirley’s parents would change their decision if Dr. Campbell reiterated that Shirley could develop severe cognitive problems or behavioral problems if her seizures are neglected.

However, they were unable to convince Shirley’s parents to seek medical diagnosis. Although Betsy followed a systematic approach while dealing with the issue at hand, it has been ineffective as Shirley’s parents continued to stand by their faith in prayer. Nonetheless, listening patiently to patients’ problems and showing empathy and genuine care while communicating are lessons health care professionals can learn from this case. Resolving the Ethical Dilemma by Applying Ethical Principles The four ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice are employed to resolve ethical dilemmas in health care. Autonomy involves accepting patients’ values; beneficence involves acting for their welfare; nonmaleficence involves avoiding harm; and justice involves fair treatment.

The ethical dilemma in this case involves a conflict between three principles—autonomy, beneficence, and nonmaleficence. Shirley’s parents’ refusal of medical treatment is rooted in their religious beliefs, which respect their autonomy. Betsy’s obligation to ensure Shirley’s health and prevent harm reflects beneficence and nonmaleficence. She considers involving Child Protective Services as a potential measure, which would override parental autonomy to protect Shirley’s best interests. By involving such intervention, Betsy aims to uphold beneficence and nonmaleficence, even if it conflicts with respecting the parents’ religious autonomy (Baumrucker et al., 2017).

Conclusion

Applying the four principles of health care ethics enables professionals to analyze and resolve complex ethical dilemmas. In the case study, Betsy faces a conflict between respecting parental religious beliefs and fulfilling her moral obligation to safeguard Shirley’s health. A systematic approach incorporating ethical principles suggests that, in such cases, prioritizing beneficence and nonmaleficence—potentially through intervention—may be necessary while respecting patient autonomy as much as possible—a delicate balance that requires careful ethical deliberation (Beauchamp & Childress, 2013).

References

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