Capella 4000 Assessment 1

Capella 4000 Assessment 1 Applying Ethical Principles

Student Name

Capella University

Capella 4000 Assessment 1

Prof. Name

Date

Applying Ethical Principles

In daily healthcare practice, professionals often encounter ethical dilemmas that compel them to make decisions based on their moral convictions and values. The four fundamental principles guiding healthcare practitioners in decision-making are autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. The concept of prima facie, introduced by philosopher W. D. Ross, suggests that a moral principle is valid unless it conflicts with another, necessitating decision-making (Othman & Hamid, 2018).

Overview of the Case Study

E.L. Straight, the newly appointed head of medical practitioners, implemented policies improving patient care, addressing the prior lack of quality-affecting policies. However, renowned staff surgeons, displeased with his decisions, perceived him negatively. Facing a dilemma involving Dr. Cutrite’s surgical error, Straight grapples with maintaining hospital reputation or prioritizing patient well-being

Dr. Cutrite’s oversight of leaving a needle protector in a patient’s belly led to an ethical dilemma for Straight. Despite the patient’s discharge, Straight was shocked by Cutrite’s negligence. Confronted with protecting the hospital’s reputation or addressing the mistake causing patient discomfort, Straight faces an ethical dilemma (Darr et al., 2017).

Ethical Decision-Making Model in Medical Practice

In medical decision-making, three main elements are frequently employed:

Moral Awareness: Evaluating healthcare professionals’ overall impact on patients.
Moral Judgment: Recognizing patients’ right to information and participation in care planning.
Ethical Behavior: Considering a situation’s legality, patient responsibilities, and fairness (Price et al., 2019).

In the case study, E.L. Straight demonstrates moral awareness, emphasizing patient well-being. The moral judgment approach ensures patients’ rights and desires are considered, while ethical behavior evaluates the situation’s legality and fairness (Doherty, 2020).

Effectiveness of Communication Approaches

Effective communication is crucial in healthcare decision-making. Skilled communication positively correlates with patient compliance and health outcomes. In the case study, the nurse supervisor effectively communicated the issue, but Straight’s suggestions were disregarded. Communication plays a vital role in ethical decision-making in healthcare (Stacey et al., 2018).

Resolving the Ethical Dilemma using Ethical Principles

To resolve healthcare ethical dilemmas, principles such as autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice are applied. In this case, prioritizing patient well-being aligns with beneficence and non-maleficence. Engaging external healthcare bodies may help address the ethical concerns and uphold patient rights (Morley et al., 2020).

Conclusion

Healthcare workers can employ ethical principles to navigate and resolve moral dilemmas. E.L. Straight’s dilemma emphasizes the importance of upholding patient rights while considering hospital reputation. Adhering to autonomy, beneficence, and non-maleficence principles is recommended to resolve such ethical dilemmas (Doherty, 2020).

References

Darr, K., Farnsworth, T. J., & Myrtle, R. C. (2017). Cases in health services management.

Morley, J., Machado, C., Burr, C., Cowls, J., Joshi, I., Taddeo, M., & Floridi, L. (2020). The ethics of AI in health care: A mapping review. Social Science & Medicine, 260, 113172.

Othman, Z., & Hamid, F. Z. A. (2018). Dealing with unexpected ethical dilemmas: Experience from the field. The Qualitative Report, 23(4), 733-741.

Price, W. N., & Cohen, I. G. (2019). Privacy in the age of medical big data. Nature Medicine, 25(1), 37-43.

Stacey, D., Légaré, F., Lewis, K., Barry, M. J., Bennett, C. L., Eden, K. B., … & Trevena, L. (2018). Decision aids for people facing health treatment or screening decisions. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 4(4), CD001431.