How Ethics And Professionalism May Conflict In Healthcare

How Ethics and Professionalism May Conflict in Healthcare Settings

Provide a detailed 2-3 page APA paper, including references, on how ethics and professionalism may conflict with each other in a healthcare setting. Use examples to help explain your research.

Paper For Above instruction

In healthcare, the concepts of ethics and professionalism are fundamental to ensuring quality patient care and maintaining trust within the medical community. However, these two principles can sometimes come into conflict, creating ethical dilemmas that challenge healthcare professionals' judgment and decision-making processes. Understanding the nature of these conflicts, their examples, and strategies to navigate them is essential for fostering a healthcare environment that upholds both ethical standards and professional integrity.

Understanding Ethics and Professionalism in Healthcare

Ethics in healthcare refers to the moral principles that guide conduct, emphasizing patient rights, beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice (Beauchamp & Childress, 2013). Professionalism involves adherence to standards of conduct, accountability, competence, and respect for colleagues and patients (American Medical Association [AMA], 2016). While both aim to promote patient welfare and uphold the integrity of healthcare practice, conflicts may arise when these principles are in tension.

Examples of Ethical and Professionalism Conflicts

One common conflict occurs in cases of truth-telling versus protecting patient emotional well-being. For example, a physician may believe that full disclosure regarding a terminal diagnosis aligns with respecting patient autonomy. However, the same healthcare provider might hesitate to disclose grim prognoses to avoid causing distress, potentially compromising ethical principles of honesty (Lamar et al., 2019). This dilemma pits the ethical obligation to be truthful against professionalism's emphasis on compassion and non-maleficence.

Another example involves resource allocation. During a pandemic, healthcare professionals may face situations where they must ration scarce resources like ventilators. Ethically, they have a duty to treat all patients fairly and maximize benefits (Christian et al., 2014). Yet, discussing or implementing rationing protocols can conflict with the professional obligation to provide individualized, equitable care, prompting moral distress among clinicians (Sherwood & Bickel, 2020).

A third example pertains to confidentiality. A healthcare professional may encounter a situation where disclosing certain patient information is necessary to prevent harm to others. Legally, confidentiality is a cornerstone of professionalism, but ethically, protecting public safety might justify breaching confidentiality, creating tension (Gopalan et al., 2017). For example, mandatory reporting of suspected cases of abuse conflicts with the duty to maintain patient trust.

Navigating Conflicts Between Ethics and Professionalism

Healthcare providers can manage conflicts through reflective practice, ethical reasoning, and open communication. Ethical frameworks such as principlism provide a structured approach, balancing autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice (Beauchamp & Childress, 2013). Engaging in interdisciplinary ethics consultations can also assist in resolving dilemmas, ensuring that decisions align with both ethical standards and professional responsibilities (Miri et al., 2020). Continuous education on bioethics and communication skills further equips practitioners to reconcile conflicts effectively.

Conclusion

While ethics and professionalism are foundational to healthcare, their intersection can produce complex conflicts that challenge practitioners. Recognizing these potential tensions, understanding their examples, and applying structured ethical reasoning are vital steps toward delivering care that is both morally sound and professionally responsible. Ultimately, fostering a culture of open dialogue and ethical awareness helps healthcare providers navigate these conflicts, promoting patient-centered and morally upright practice.

References

• American Medical Association. (2016). AMA Code of Medical Ethics. https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/ama-code-medical-ethics
• Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2013). Principles of Biomedical Ethics (7th ed.). Oxford University Press.
• Christian, M. D., Hawryluck, L., et al. (2014). Development of a triage protocol for critical care in the setting of a mass casualty, Ebola Virus Disease outbreak. Critical Care Medicine, 42(2), e48–e56.
• Gopalan, A., et al. (2017). Confidentiality dilemmas in clinical practice. Journal of Medical Ethics, 43(5), 355–359.
• Lamar, J., et al. (2019). Honesty and truth-telling in physician-patient communication: Ethical dilemmas. Journal of Clinical Ethics, 30(2), 122–128.
• Miri, A., et al. (2020). Ethical decision-making in healthcare: A review of recent literature. International Journal of Ethics Education, 5(1), 45–59.
• Sherwood, G., & Bickel, J. (2020). Moral distress and moral courage in healthcare: An explanation and implications. Nursing Management, 27(8), 36–41.