What Is A Time When You Or Someone You Know Experienced A Cl

What Is A Time When You Or Someone You Know Experienced A Clash Betwee

What is a time when you or someone you know experienced a clash between professional duties and familial duties? Reference a professional code such as that of the American Nurses Association or American Bar Association in explaining the clash. What moral values should have been used in that case? Why those values? What would social contract ethics have said to have done? Why would social contract ethics say that? Note what you feel is the best course of action. Prioritizing what the right thing to do when working in the healthcare field is very crucial and important. With that being said a time I know where someone experienced a clash between professional duties and familial duties was when my cousin, who was a healthcare provider, was needed at the hospital to work as they were short-staffed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but at the same time, her mother was diagnosed with cancer and needed to get surgery. She obviously needed to be there for her mother as there wasn't anyone else to take care of her besides her father, but she also had to care for her patients. However, she couldn't risk going to work and attending her patients and possibly transmitting the virus to her mother, who had just undergone lumpectomy surgery and was undergoing radiation therapy.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) articulates that nurses should "carry out nursing responsibilities in a manner consistent with quality in nursing care and the ethical obligations of the profession" (Gaines, 2022). Considering this, my cousin recognized that if she stayed at work, she might not have been able to provide the best care to her patients, as her worry about her mother would interfere with her focus. The moral values that should have guided her decision include beneficence, nonmaleficence, and fidelity. Beneficence emphasizes acting in the best interest of patients and family members, nonmaleficence involves avoiding harm to others, and fidelity entails loyalty and faithfulness to both her patients and her family. These values are essential because they balance the duty to care professionally with personal responsibilities. Her decision to care for her mother during her initial treatment period, then return to her professional duties, reflects a commitment to these moral principles, prioritizing her mother's immediate health needs while reaffirming her professional obligation later.

Social contract theory posits that "morality consists in the rules that rational people will accept on the condition that others accept them as well" (Rachels, 2018, p. 93). In this situation, social contract ethics would suggest that individuals weigh their personal duties against societal expectations and obligations, aiming to balance personal loyalties with professional responsibilities for the greater good. Given the circumstances, social contract theorists would likely argue that my cousin's decision to temporarily prioritize her family responsibilities aligns with societal expectations of loyalty and duty to loved ones. Once her mother’s immediate needs were addressed, she would be expected to fulfill her professional duties, maintaining her obligations to her patients and colleagues. This approach safeguards social harmony by honoring commitments both to family and society, recognizing that fulfilling these roles benefits the community at large.

In my view, the best course of action is to prioritize familial duties temporarily during critical moments like this, provided it does not lead to significant harm to patients or society. A compassionate and ethical approach involves making a careful, balanced decision—giving precedence to urgent family needs while ensuring a timely return to professional responsibilities. Healthcare workers, especially nurses, operate within a moral framework that demands flexibility, empathy, and prudence. They must recognize that personal circumstances can significantly impact their ability to provide care and that society benefits from caregivers who are supported in managing such conflicts responsibly. This balance not only upholds moral values but also sustains the trust essential for effective healthcare delivery.

References

• Gaines, K. (2022, November 4). What is the Nursing Code of Ethics? Nurse.org. Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://www.nurse.org/articles/nursing-code-of-ethics/
• Rachels, J. (2018). The Elements of Moral Philosophy (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
• American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of Ethics for Nurses With Interpretive Statements. ANA.
• Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2013). Principles of Biomedical Ethics. Oxford University Press.
• Pence, B. W., & McPhail, L. S. (2015). Ethical decision making in nursing. Nursing Ethics, 22(3), 273-280.
• Daniels, N. (2001). Justice, health, and healthcare. American Journal of Bioethics, 1(2), 2-16.
• Childress, J. F., et al. (2002). Public health ethics: Mapping the terrain. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 30(2), 170-178.
• Brennan, T., & Miller, F. G. (2002). Ethics in health care: A practical guide. McGraw-Hill.
• Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2009). Principles of Biomedical Ethics (6th ed.). Oxford University Press.
• O’Neill, O. (2002). Autonomy and Trust in Bioethics. Cambridge University Press.