Differences Between Virtues And Values MHA 622 Health Care

Differences between Virtues and Values MHA 622: Health Care Ethics & Law

“If values are the goal, virtues are the way to get there. A virtue is a characteristic of a person which supports individual moral excellence and collective wellbeing. Such characteristics are valued as a principle and recognized as a good way to be. Virtues are innate good qualities or morals within people. In this way, they are characteristics of people but they do not define organizational or collective culture. In other words, values reflect what is acceptable in terms of culture, but virtues reflect individual human characteristics.

Values are what a society as a whole has come to accept, which would make a society better. Virtues, on the other hand, can be derived from personal integrity or acquired through spirituality and religious teachings. Values are shaped by societal aspirations, whereas virtues are what individuals aspire to become. Virtue provides a moral compass to discern right from wrong.

Following virtues does not mean that people become perfect; human fallibility and the tendency to act in self-interest persist. Historical and biblical examples such as Moses, King David, and King Solomon illustrate how even the most revered individuals succumbed to human flaws. These examples show that striving for virtue remains important despite human imperfection. Virtue emanates from personal integrity and spiritual development, guiding moral behavior whether or not others observe it.

Values are rooted in society’s collective perception of what is good or valuable. They include traits, actions, and characteristics considered morally sound, such as honesty, integrity, kindness, courage, wisdom, fairness, compassion, fidelity, and commitment (Pozgar, 2012). Additional traits like ambition, intelligence, experience, tolerance, attractiveness, adaptability, dignity, sense of duty, drive, and cleanliness are also recognized as acceptable societal values. In healthcare settings, ethical dilemmas frequently arise concerning organizational values and individual virtues. Health care professionals must consider what virtues they uphold, how organizational values influence decision-making, and whether organizational policies override personal virtues.

Healthcare workers often face conflicts of interest. For example, whether a physician prioritizes patient well-being over profits offered by pharmaceutical representatives, or whether healthcare administrators promote unnecessary procedures for financial gain. These scenarios challenge the alignment of professional virtues with organizational values. Ethical questions also emerge regarding patient discharge policies driven by insurance requirements or financial considerations, which may conflict with the virtues of beneficence and non-maleficence. For instance, hospitals discharging patients prematurely to meet insurance-imposed timeframes may compromise patient care, conflicting with the virtues of compassion and commitment to health.

In personal experiences, such as working in a hospital’s business office with limited training, ethical dilemmas become apparent. For example, deciding whether to admit uninsured patients or refer them to public hospitals raises questions about justice, equity, and the obligation to provide care regardless of payment ability. While these decisions may be influenced by organizational policies, they also reflect individual virtues such as compassion, fairness, and integrity. Thus, virtues are often rooted in personal and spiritual development, guiding professionals to act ethically even under organizational pressures.

In conclusion, virtues originate from an individual’s spiritual and moral compass, often shaped by religion or personal integrity, guiding everyday behavior. Values, however, are societal constructs reflecting cultural standards of what is considered good or acceptable. Both are essential in healthcare, where complex ethical dilemmas require balancing personal virtues with organizational values. By fostering both virtues and values, healthcare professionals can provide ethically sound and compassionate care that aligns with both individual morals and societal expectations.

Paper For Above instruction

Virtues and values form the foundation of ethical behavior, especially within healthcare contexts. Understanding their differences, origins, and roles in decision-making is essential for healthcare professionals committed to moral excellence and patient welfare. This paper explores the distinctions between virtues and values, their sources, and their implications in healthcare ethics.

Virtues are innate qualities or morals that support individual moral excellence and collective wellbeing. They are characteristics within a person, such as honesty, integrity, kindness, courage, wisdom, fairness, compassion, fidelity, and commitment (Pozgar, 2012). Virtues serve as internal moral compasses that guide behavior and decision-making, irrespective of external influences. They are often cultivated through personal integrity, spirituality, religious teachings, or moral education. For example, religious figures like Moses, King David, and King Solomon exemplify how even revered individuals succumbed to human flaws, illustrating that virtues are aspirational rather than flawless traits. These stories emphasize that striving for virtue is a continuous process, and perfection is unattainable.

Values, on the other hand, are societal constructs that reflect what a community or culture perceives as important, acceptable, or good. They are collective standards shaped by social norms, history, tradition, and shared experiences. Values include traits like ambition, intelligence, adaptability, and dignity, which society deems desirable for individuals and groups (DifferenceBetween, 2014). Unlike virtues, which are deeply personal, values are externally imposed and can vary across cultures and societies. In healthcare, these values influence organizational policies, professional standards, and societal expectations. For instance, a hospital might prioritize efficiency and patient satisfaction, values that shape organizational behavior.

The interaction between virtues and values in healthcare often involves ethical dilemmas. Healthcare professionals must navigate between their personal virtues—such as compassion and honesty—and organizational values—such as cost-effectiveness and policies driven by insurance constraints. For example, a physician's virtue of beneficence may conflict with organizational pressure to discharge patients early to meet billing targets. Similarly, healthcare administrators may face dilemmas when organizational values conflict with virtues like justice and fairness, particularly regarding resource allocation or treating uninsured patients.

Personal experiences highlight the importance of virtues in ethical decision-making. Working in a hospital’s business office under stressful circumstances, I faced dilemmas involving admitting uninsured patients or referring them elsewhere. Despite organizational policies, I grappled with the virtues of compassion, fairness, and justice, making decisions based on moral considerations rather than purely on organizational directives. These situations demonstrate how virtues serve as internal moral anchors, guiding professionals toward ethical conduct even amidst conflicting institutional priorities.

Furthermore, the origins of virtues often stem from spiritual and religious backgrounds, shaping an individual’s moral framework. For example, religious teachings emphasize values such as charity, altruism, and humility, which translate into virtues like compassion and integrity in professional settings. These personal virtues influence how healthcare providers respond to ethical challenges, such as whether to prioritize patient needs over organizational profits or bureaucratic pressures.

While virtues focus on individual morality, societal values shape the external environment in which healthcare operates. Societal values determine what behaviors are considered acceptable, and policies are often designed to uphold these standards. However, discrepancies can occur when organizational practices or policies undermine core virtues. For instance, policies prioritizing revenue generation may conflict with virtues of beneficence and non-maleficence. Thus, ethical healthcare practice requires aligning organizational values with personal virtues.

In conclusion, virtues and values, though distinct, are interconnected elements of ethical behavior in healthcare. Virtues are internal character traits rooted in morality and spirituality, guiding individuals in their moral choices. Values are societal norms that influence organizational policies and cultural standards. Healthcare professionals must continually strive to uphold virtues within the broader framework of societal values to provide ethical, compassionate, and equitable care. Recognizing and balancing these dimensions is essential to ethical leadership and the moral integrity of healthcare practice.

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