Show You Care: Assignment Required Resources Read Review
Show You Careassignmentrequired Resourcesreadreview The Following Res
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. Your 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 be 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.
Paper For Above instruction
The ethical challenges faced by healthcare professionals in situations involving prescription drugs and vulnerable populations are complex and multifaceted. Developing a comprehensive understanding of these dilemmas requires examining specific scenarios and applying various ethical frameworks. Here, I propose a scenario involving a healthcare worker managing prescription medication for a homeless individual suffering from multiple chronic conditions, who faces barriers to medication adherence due to financial and social constraints.
In this scenario, a healthcare worker at a community health clinic encounters a homeless patient with diabetes and hypertension. The patient requests antibiotics for a recurring infection but cannot afford the prescribed medication. The healthcare worker must balance the patient's immediate health needs with ethical principles such as beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice. This situation raises questions about appropriate interventions, resource allocation, and the use of healthcare technology.
From a care-based ethics perspective, the healthcare worker’s primary focus would be empathy, compassion, and the relational context of the patient's life circumstances. The caregiver seeks to alleviate suffering and maintain the dignity of the patient through individualized care. Applying rights-based ethics emphasizes respecting the patient’s autonomy and ensuring access to essential medications as a human right. However, these frameworks may conflict when resources are limited or institutional policies restrict medication provisioning without financial coverage.
The involved healthcare technology might include electronic health records (EHRs), telemedicine, or online health portals. These tools facilitate communication, medication management, and health monitoring but also pose ethical concerns regarding patient privacy and data security. Moral guidelines should prioritize informed consent, confidentiality, and equitable access to technological advantages.
In examining these guidelines through utilitarianism, the focus would be on maximizing overall health benefits, even if this requires bending rules or reallocating resources to serve the greatest good for the greatest number. Kantian deontology would stress the importance of respecting patients as ends in themselves, adhering to moral duties regardless of outcomes. Ethical egoism would suggest healthcare workers act in their self-interest, which could conflict with patient welfare. Social contract ethics emphasize obligations derived from societal agreements—ensuring equitable treatment for vulnerable populations aligns with social justice principles.
Furthermore, the application of social technologies such as crowdfunding platforms and online informational resources can extend support for such patients. Crowdfunding can provide financial assistance for medications, while online platforms can improve health literacy and connect patients with social services. Implementing moral guidelines for these tools might include ensuring transparency, promoting fairness, and safeguarding privacy.
In conclusion, addressing ethical dilemmas involving prescription drug use among impoverished patients requires a multidimensional approach incorporating care ethics, rights perspectives, and various moral theories. While technological tools offer promising avenues for support, their use must be guided by principles that respect patient dignity, promote equity, and maximize overall well-being. Evaluating these strategies’ practicality, fairness, and ethical soundness is essential for fostering a more just and compassionate healthcare environment.
References
- Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2019). Principles of Biomedical Ethics (8th ed.). Oxford University Press.
- Leebov, R. (2017). The Ethical Dimensions of Providing Care to Vulnerable Populations. Journal of Medical Ethics, 43(4), 265-269.
- Shapiro, J. P., & Robbins, S. (2015). Social justice in health care: Ethical considerations. Ethics & Medicine, 31(2), 107-113.
- Singer, P. (2011). Practical Ethics (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
- Booker, J. M. (2020). Technology and ethics in healthcare: Privacy, access, and future directions. Journal of Healthcare Technology, 15(2), 137-145.
- Kant, I. (1785). Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Translated by H. J. Paton (1948). Harper & Brothers.
- Mill, J. S. (1863). Utilitarianism. Parker, Son, and Bourn.
- Rousseau, J.-J. (1762). The Social Contract. Translated by G. D. H. Cole (1913). Hafner Publishing Company.
- Hare, R. M. (1981). Moral Thinking: Its Levels, Method, and Point. Oxford University Press.
- Benabou, R., & Tirole, J. (2006). Incentives and prosocial behavior. American Economic Review, 96(5), 1652-1672.