Nursing Ethics Essay Paper
All civilization has faced health challenges from ancient times to the present. In traditional practice, ethics usually used casuistry case-based approach as a method of analysis for centuries in Jewish medical ethics. Therapeutic paternalism assumed as usual practice by most health care pros and their patient’s believed that whatever done by health care team will be better for them. Hence, the queries of medical ethics have been argued since the early development of Western medicine. “Ethics is a philosophical approach that covers entire associations of belongings and involved with good and bad, moral duty, obligations and values” (Lindbergh, J.B. et al 1994). Potter and Perry, (2010) present that it is a human fundamental right and moral decisions in health care should be practiced by four principles. Beau champ and Childless addressed the four moral and health care principles.Nursing Ethics Essay Paper
Scenario: “a nurse is an assigned to a patient who has been diagnosed with an inoperable tumor and is terminally ill. The medical staff and the family insist that she is not to be told about her prognosis. She keeps asking the nurse, “Am I dying”. What should the nurse do in this situation?”
Consideration of the ethical issue using the Four Principles framework
Respect for autonomy: Respect for patient autonomy. It means that the patients have the rights to decide, which track of action good for them. The notion of autonomy is a basis and keystone of nursing practice as a due respect for patient. Autonomy concept is nothing. Miss Y may not be independent and not legally competent to respect for autonomy, but this does not mean that ethically her views should not be considered and respected as far as possible. She has spoken her wish clearly; she wants to know about her condition.
Beneficence: The ethics of beneficence such as ethical behavior is obliged to do well.
The benefits of acting beneficently would need to be weighed against the dis-benefits of failing to respect Miss Y’s autonomy. (From a legal point of view the wishes of a competent patient cannot be override in her best interests).
Non maleficence: the moral obligation to do no harm is familiar within both medical and nursing practice. Here, Miss Y would be harmed by telling about her end stage of disease. Which course of action would result in the greatest harm?
Justice: the principle of justice suggests that ethical behavior is a manner that treats people fairly (“Ethical issues,” 2001).Nursing Ethics Essay Paper
Moreover in the context of Pakistani system, Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC) offered the professional code of ethics with job description for registered nurses. It gives direction for decision-making regarding ethical matters and serves for self-evaluation and reflection regarding ethical nursing practice.
Compare and contrast between four ethical principles
Nurses are ethically compelled to deliver safe and sound, experienced and moral care to all patients. These main beliefs give us understanding about the nature of obligations associated with these principles. (Proof) Beau champ and Childless explain that ethics leads us to proceedings, but we still need to judge a condition and express a suitable response. This judgment and response learn from training as much as from moralities (Limentani, 1999).
According to given scenario, as patient is in critical condition with diagnosed case of cancer and in the stage of terminally ill. Nurse might not decide either she should gave the answer or not. In this critical condition, may answer create emotional tragic situation to the patient and may patient ailment become more deteriorate due to emotional disturbance or in this situation therapeutic freedom seems sensible. Moreover, the notion of ethical application in serious condition is the balance between respect for autonomy of the patient and wish to do in a beneficent attitude may results in dissimilarity and tension (Campbell 1994).
This type of moral dilemmas arise due to clashes between moral principles, such as truth telling decisions, autonomy, obligations of beneficence and non-maleficence. These three ethical codes can build conflict with the principle of justice. Mostly two types of issues arise from nursing practice. There is a conflict between obligations to respect of autonomy and obligations of beneficence and non-maleficence. In reality, there are many other types of situations in which this type of conflict occurs, such as feeding, giving medication to a patient against their wishes, and trying to prevent a patient from committing suicide etc. It is remarkable that conflicts happen in health care institutions across the country on a daily basis. Although most health care professionals are now qualified communication skills, they are not taught the compromise and conciliation needed to deal with severe disagreements.
One drawback of the “Four Principles” approach is that when different persons involved in an ethical decision might differ about the virtual weight to each code. For example in a given scenario, a patient who wants to know about their critical condition and asking you “Am I dying?” This might be arguing that the principle of autonomy should be uppermost, while the other clinical staff may maintain beneficence and non-maleficence on top priority. The health care principles do not portray and point out a hierarchical ordering by them. In this example, if patient need spiritual and religious support and nurse decides to tell them reality in the favor of respect of autonomy, they will lose the role of paternalism. In this way, autonomy will be high weighed and patient may be getting a golden chance to do pray for forgiveness from Allah. If they do not tell the real situation to the patient and keep a paramount of beneficence and Mal-eficence then paternalism will be weighed but patient might be so far to pray and some special religious practice. Actually, there will be no justice for the principle of justice. In nursing, justice often focuses on equitable access to care and fair scarce resource distribution. It is the requirement for nurses to focus on the patient’s particular care needs, vision, preferences and to acknowledge the individual’s unique practice (Wilson-Barnett 1994).
Arber and Gallagher (2004) stated that any news which is not warmly accepted is known as a bad news. Any insensitive approach increases the suffering of recipients of bad news, can exerts a long lasting impact on their ability to adapt and adjust, can lead to anger and increased risk of legal action. Furthermore, the situation becomes more complicated because some patients misinterpret messages that they hear. For breach bad news, strong communication are required which should base on both compassionate and kind attitude.Nursing Ethics Essay Paper
Analysis
Not to telling a truth, is an essential skill for health care provider because many of them find it challenging to communicate bad information, especially when involves a life-threatening situation. Some feel untrained while others fear the news will be distressing and adversely affect the patient, family, or the therapeutic relationship. Some colleagues embark on a very positive approach; giving the patient and relatives artificial expectation and believing that the patient is more ideal in her ignorance. Some of them take a middle pathway and explain all the facts to the relatives while keeping the patient in the dark. Mohandas (1995) stated that, few describe at some degree about their opinion regarding patient’s prognosis, and the severity of disease, expected possibilities of treatment, adverse effects, economic burden and short and long term prognosis. In this regard they upset some patients and families. The persons involved in this situation where my patient with a cancer diagnosed lady and me (as a staff nurse). The ethical principles involved in this situation where my patient’s autonomy and veracity verses non-maleficence. The ethical dilemma confronting to me that if I (as a staff nurse) did not deliver the news then might I was not following the ethical principle of veracity and patient’s autonomy. However, if I disclose the news to the patient then I would be violating the principle of non-maleficence. Veracity (telling the truth), although distressing in the short term, but will result in more benefit than harm in the long term (Sokol, 2006). Keeping the principle of non-maleficence in my mind if I delivered the information to the patient intentionally then it would be resulted the intrinsic effect of harming the patient that violates the negative duty not to harm.
Arguments and counterarguments
The literature support that it is ethically right to tell the truth to the patient. Sokol (2006) described that not telling the truth may breach the trust of patient-nurse relationship and leads to loss of trust. Veracity, although upsetting in the short term, but will result more good than harm in the long run. The patients should have full disclosure of awful news should tell the truth if this is their wish according to the scenario. Disclosing the information prevent further argument and loss of trust if the patient later discover the truth. The Islamic point of view regarding veracity is very clear as, it was narrated that “Abe-Allaah ibn Mastodon said: The messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “Truthfulness is righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. Lying is evildoing, and evildoing leads to Hell”. If patient is in acute condition and revealing the reality may affect adverse consequences, it would cause an excessive psycho social or spiritual burden on patient. In this critical situation then not telling the truth is favorable for the well-being of patient (Tse et al., 2003). The therapeutic privilege provides opportunity to the physician in few conditions when expose the truth is forbidden as it resulted in actual and expect able damage in patient’s health status. It is also a fact that doctors do not have a duty to disclose the whole facts about a patient’s medical condition in respect of beneficence and maleficence.Nursing Ethics Essay Paper
Advantages of truth telling: Disclosure is essential to future informed consent. The patient who are not communicated about their prognosis, and kept unaware may be at risk of future misdiagnosis. Veracity promotes trust between patient and health care providers. Truthful disclosure may minimize the probability of legal liability.
Disadvantages of truth telling: Patient may misinterpret the information. The other possible harm may be patient lose the hope. Patient health is the most important issue for the health care provider, which can be affected by truth telling, and patient may go to shock. Patient may develop stress and anxiety.
Implementation
Veracity (telling the truth) to the patient needs extraordinary focus, because now a day’s patients are, comparatively to earlier, more vulnerable to face serious harms if they are not completely acknowledged regarding their health status. Not only patient’s self-government destabilized, as well as patients who are not informed the actual truth about an intervention, practice a loss of truth which is mandatory for remedial process. Honesty counts to patients because they are not well exposed to the disease, and disturbed with lots of questions in their mind which require veracity. A bad news is always a bad news. But the manner in which it is conveyed can have a profound effect on both the patient and the health care provider. Breaking bad news suggested an approach which supports the health care providers to tell the truth in the critical circumstances.
Buckman (2005) suggested the S-P-I-K-E-S protocol a strategy to disclose the bad news and tell the truth by minimizing the hazardous effects of bad news. In this respect, the most important factor is setting. It includes isolation, involvement of the significant family member and kind and calm behavior. Before breaking the news, an accurate patient’s perception is necessary. It facilitates the health care providers a clue, that how patient view the meaning of the situation and calculate the facts and figure of the medical situation. What did you think something is going on with you? Such type of open ended question is helpful to understand patient’s perception. Invite the patient through indirect permission, and respect the patient’s right to know and ask for example that, how much extent you required information regarding your treatment and diagnosis? Before delivering information, provide the patient a few moments that she prepared psychologically. The last intervention is empathetic response. Empathetic approach can stabilize the patient’s emotions through acknowledge that you are feeling their emotions.Nursing Ethics Essay Paper
Conclusion
Keele (2008) described that according to Kant, veracity is a very important to learn that is categorical in nature, one should do their duty even it cause harm to others. Veracity is the medical principle which matter for the health of the patient. But in spite of all these facts according to health care system and the medical profession in our context, trust is the basic element to develop therapeutic relationship with patient. The image of health care providers would be destroying if they would not represent the real situation in front of patient. Truthful exposure of relevant information is a legal and ethical duty of medical professionals to be explored in front of patient. In this way, there is no final conclusion and nurse should do accordingly by their experience, honesty, wisdom and use the futility and theory of utilitarianism.
Nursing Ethics
This is the code of behavior that they are supposed to exhibit so as to attain the highest standards of health care possible. Patients have got trust for their nurses and thus place their well-being and health in the hands of the nurses. It is therefore important that ethics is followed so as to assure quality care as expected by the customers. Nurses are thus guided by a code of ethics that they should follow every day in their endeavors to provide quality health care. These codes are made known to newly graduated nurses before they can be sent to the field. It is also reminded to nurses that have been in the service for long. They are charged with the responsibility of making sure that the patients are accorded the best of health care.
Treat Patients with Dignity
Nurses are supposed to treat all patients in the hospital equally. When one is in a hospital and is sick, they should all be treated as equals. The nature of the disease and how unpleasant or contagious a disease is does not give them the choice. All patients deserve to be treated equally. There is no issue of class and all patients are equals. Nurses can nod discriminate patients because of class, wealth, position, gender, race and religion. As long as all need health care, no one is higher than the other and no one should be given any preference due to their social class or any other factors other than health.Nursing Ethics Essay Paper
Confidentiality
Nurses are supposed to do all it takes so as to offer the best form of care for their patients. They are thus allowed to ask or dig for any information about the patient that will be of help to them in providing the health care needed. However, patients have a right to confidentiality and the nurses must not disclose any information given to them by their patients. In special cases, it may become important for the patients health information to be disclosed to someone else. It can only be to someone who is close to the patient or one that is directly involved with the patients care. In these cases, the nurse has to discuss this with the patient and it is purely their right to agree or disagree with it. It must be clearly explained to the patient that withholding the information may only bring harm to them. There are set laws that should be followed before disclosing patients information.
There is a growing amount of literature and media attention to ethical issues. Every week on medical and legal television shows, such as “ER” and “Law and Order,” characters are faced with ethical dilemmas and decisions. In reality, nurses are confronted with an increasing number of ethical decisions within their practice everyday. With unparalleled technological advancement, nursing and bio-medical research, and the present healthcare environment, nurses must be cognizant of their professional and personal views of ethics.
In this essay, a view of the aims of bioethics and more specifically nursing ethics will be explored. The influences of the present healthcare environment and societal developments as they relate to nursing ethics will be addressed, and some of the main ethical legal issues that have impacted recent practice will be identified and examined.Nursing Ethics Essay Paper
Ethics Defined.
Ethics comes from the ancient Greek word meaning character or customs. Within each society, particular customs and norms develop. While a custom may be sanctioned in one society or context, the custom may not be seen as right by other cultures or societies (Bosek, 2001). Ethics suggests a code of acceptable behaviour or practice and includes the study of social morality as well as philosophical reflection on its norms and practices (Beau champ and Walters, 1999).
Bioethics and nursing ethics may be considered in the same philosophical realm but differ in both approach and application. Gerhardt (1986) views bioethics as “the study of moral and conceptual problems associated with healthcare and the biomedical sciences.” Bioethics tends to be medico-eccentric in nature and perspective (Johnston, 1999) with focus on identification of ethical concerns in medical and scientific research.
This author agrees with Reich (1978) that the aim of bioethics is the guidance of moral decision-making and discussion in medical science research and study. Bioethics holds to the philosophy that human life must be preserved at any cost, with “the medical ideology that prolonged life of any quality is a prime value (Barnum, 1998). This is contrary to nursing’s philosophy that the preservation of dignity and human rights should take precedence over preservation of life, including the right to die without suffering.
The aim of nursing ethics.
Nursing ethics is not a subcategory of medical ethics, but separate with its own literature, context and application (Veatch, 1985). Nursing ethics refers to the “principles governing the conduct of nurses in relation to patients, their families, associates, and society at large (Wlody, 1998). Johnstone (1999) further describes nursing ethics as “a practice discipline, which aims to provide guidance to nurses on how to decide and act morally in the contexts in which they work.
Nurses have a unique association with patients, a “more direct and therefore more ethically compelling relationship” (Loewy and Loewy, 2001). A recent Gallop Poll ranked nurses above medical doctors, teachers, and even clergy when asked which profession was regarded as “the most honest and ethical” (Www.gallup.com/poll/releases/pr001127.asp)
The aim of nursing ethics should be the examination of ethical issues specific to nursing. This incorporates the protection of patient rights and the de ontological principles of autonomy, beneficence, maleficence, justice and confidentiality, and offers practical guidance on decision-making in the practice setting, regardless of individual ideologies.
Developments in society and healthcare effecting ethics and law.
There are significant developments in society and healthcare delivery that influence this view of nursing ethics. With rapid technological advance and the present healthcare environment, nurses must deal with an increased number of new and complex ethical dilemmas. Sometimes these issues are previously unknown and “at any given time the practitioner may be confronted with particularities that are not yet accounted for in science or technology” (Puntillo, Brenner, Drought, Drew, Stotts, Stannard, Rushton, Scansion, and White, 2001).
Within society and healthcare delivery, the profession of nursing is advancing. A professional code of ethics is an important hallmark of a profession (Goldman, 1980). Acquiring a nursing licence does not ensure moral or ethical practice. The American Nurses Association, in response to social and healthcare needs, has developed a Code of Ethics. The Code articulates nursing’s moral duties and obligations, but ultimately the nurse is accountable to the laws of the land.
America has, potentially, the most medically litigious society. Recently in the media, there have been enormous case settlements, such as those for smokers, and, as a result, malpractice insurance costs have escalated. Although nurses make ethically based decisions, they must also be aware of the legal consequences. The laws of the land are still paramount and even those decisions based on a professional ethical code may not be dependable in court. Nurses are encouraged to “Chart for the Lawyer, not the Doctor”.
The progression of managed health care, with attention on cost containment and efficiency, has noticeably influenced patient care. The development of health management organizations, and for-profit centers has led to restrictions on patient access to care and even withholding of expensive therapies. The new technologies and procedures can be very expensive to implement but may be required to lure new patients and medical staff. Resource allocation and distribution along with rationing health care reflects a business, rather than patient care, focus.Nursing Ethics Essay Paper The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Lab our Act of 1986 (EMTALA) was enacted to ensure access to health screening for all people who present regardless of their ability to pay. The number of people seeking and requiring medical attention without insurance or ability to pay is increasing, causing a shift in healthcare delivery, due to legal mandate to provide care for all. On any given night in a busy Emergency Room, the ‘regulars’, drug seekers and pungent homeless can be found, these individuals still deserve dignity and care, regardless of a nurse’s personal feelings or beliefs. System abuse and limited resources influence nurses perspective on ethical care. People in a society have a right to healthcare, but policy makers appear to disregard the ability of resource limited health systems to provide that care, potentially to the detriment of others. As a result there has been significant downsizing, and closures of care centers.
Another aspect influencing the aim of nursing ethics is modern globalization with changes in patient populations. Immigration in the United States, particularly from Latin-American countries is rising, with the Hispanic population now being the largest minority group.
Issues affecting professional practice
Professional nursing practice has been dramatically impacted by the recent implementation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or “HIPPA”, which went into effect April 14 2003. The Act makes legally accountable the ethical obligation to respect patient health information and privacy. Healthcare providers must now take active measures to protect against unauthorized uses and disclosures of personal medical information or be held in breach of confidentiality or criminally liable.
Olson (2003) suggests that nurses have a professional duty and responsibility to maintain confidentiality of patient information and to protect patients right to privacy. Protection of these rights is crucial with advancement in nursing informatics, computerized documentation, and medical record storage. However the new privacy law does have a downside: by inhibiting access to information, it can be very frustrating for relatives seeking information about a loved one’s health status. As a recent personal example, a woman’s mother was recently hospitalized and mechanically ventilated rendering her unable to give permission to divulge information. Other parties were then unable to find out the seriousness, and prognosis of her condition. Also the inability to provide information can inhibit or delay patient treatment, as health insurance providers often decide authorization for treatment. Nurses previously could supply information including, condition, injuries and vital signs.
There is undeniable evidence that the issue of nurse-to-patient ratio is a critical issue in current professional practice. A recent study identified staffing patterns that limit patient access to nursing care as the issue “most personally disturbing” to nurses (Fry & Riley, 2002). Studies further show that a lower ratio of licensed nurses to patients increases positive outcomes by decreasing infection rates, complications, re-admissions, and death (Philbrook, 2003). In September 2002, California Governor Gray Davis passed legislation to establish a nurse-to-patient ratio to address the quality of patient care and help meet current workforce needs. By ensuring adequate staffing levels and appropriate workloads, these regulations improve not only patient care but also nursing working conditions and satisfaction.Nursing Ethics Essay Paper As a result of cost containment and scarce resource allocation, nurses are presented with ethical challenges of justice in the present fiscal environment in healthcare. Sometimes providing adequate care and maintaining professional nursing practice is challenging in cost-constrained hospital environments (Ritter-Teitel, 2002). Nurses are expected to provide quality patient care based on the same or fewer resources (O’Connor, 1997).
Finally, of end of life care is also a significant issue in professional practice due to the aging population and the increase in life-extending technology. The Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990 provides a means for predetermination of care when the patient is unable to do so. This provides advance directives about withholding resuscitation and life extending measures, and by doing so ensures the patients right to autonomy. However, there can be family or medical refusal to adhere to these wishes and directives, using the excuse of benefiting the patient.
Conclusion.
With unprecedented advances in technology and health science, the profession of nursing faces a variety of ethical issues. Nursing’s ethic of care and respect of human rights, along with basic moral principles of autonomy, beneficence, non maleficence, justice and confidentiality provide a framework for ethical analysis and decision-making. The continued provision of competent and ethical care, when faced with today’s practice issues, illustrates the commitment of the nursing profession to nursing ethics.
Nursing is a career that takes more than just a handful of classes and certification programs to fully understand. Aside from the considerable academic workload and extensive paper writing that goes into becoming a nurse, there is a huge emphasis placed on ensuring that nurses are trained to understand the ethical implications of the actions they take. This sample essay provides an example of why clients rate Ultius as a five-star writing service.Nursing Ethics Essay Paper
Nurse’s ethical problems and decision making
Ethical problems in nursing are some of the most difficult to handle appropriately because of their naturally sensitive nature. Ethics require sound judgment and adherence to rules that are not always as clear cut as laws. Despite these difficulties, the issues are solved through the same dedication and resolve that other problems require. Ethical issues often arise in the nursing practice due to the delicacy of patient-caregiver interactions.
It is the nurse’s duty to assist the patient to the best of their abilities and to insure that the workplace is beneficial for all patients. Ethics can come into question in an individual’s own practice as well as observed issues in the practices of fellow nurses and doctors. It is vital that these issues be considered from an objective standpoint, and reported in situations where ethical codes are clearly broken.
Ethical implications in the nursing industry
One patient observed some questionable behavior from a fellow nurse that brought to mind various ethical implications. The nurse displayed a lack of focus when dealing with patients and student nurses during her shift. Compassion fatigue among nurses often causes judgment errors. And, in this case, it almost hurt the patient the nurse was supposed to be helping.
A student nurse informed the nurse in question that the student nurse would be taking care of one of the nurse’s patients during her shift. The student nurse was thus responsible for administering the patient’s medications. Despite the student nurses disclaimer, the nurse in question proceeded with her administration of the patient’s medication. The patient almost received a second dosage of medication from the student nurse, as the nurse in question forgot about the student nurse taking over the shift. z
The nurse may have forgotten the information the student nurse gave her due to drug abuse issues. Administering the patient’s medicine inappropriately was not the only observed issue for the nurse. She frequently took breaks of up to 20 minutes during her shifts, at which times she was unreachable. The nurse was sometimes agitated with her patients and spoke inappropriately about them to the other staff members saying the patients were dramatic and entitled.Nursing Ethics Essay Paper
The nurse downplayed the patient’s issue stating that the patient was simply lonely and was searching for attention. Although patients can be difficult at times it is the nurse’s duty to respond appropriately to patients issues. The nurse’s questionable actions indicate drug abuse. American Nurse Today lists signs of substance abuse including:
Nursing is a profession that is concentrated on the ability of a person to improve their skill in applying their roles and responsibilities to provide care for the patient. This means that the nurse is always available to ensure that proper care has been applied to the patient using the ideal standards of nursing principles. As a nurse, you are responsible for the prognosis of the patient to track their health condition while seeking treatment to the hospital. This is an important consideration because every patient has the right to receive a proper medical attention and treatment to any health care institution. As a patient, they also have the right to live a longer life, which is why they seek medical treatment and rehabilitation to prolong their longevity.
Nursing is one of the most challenging professions in our society because practitioners need to follow the proper standards of care in either the hospital or community setting. This is because ethics play an important role in the professional practice of ever nurse in our community. Nurses often commit negligence, which is the most common offense applied in the hospital or in the community setting while providing treatment to patients. An example of this is a wrong medication, wrong patient, wrong route, and accidents during a treatment procedure due to lack of assessment. When nurse commits errors such as negligence, patients usually suffer another form of injury aside from their present condition of medical illness. As a result, the life of the patient is challenged because they have been compromised by the nurse that should have been the right person to provide treatment to relieve signs and symptoms of the disease or disability.Nursing Ethics Essay Paper
In nursing ethics, veracity is often applied because all patients should be treated with fairness while addressing their health concerns. There are nurses who failed to abide by the rules by failing to practice diversity towards the patients. Nurses are sometimes denying access to health care to patients because of their sexual orientation and race. Professional malpractice is also committed by nurses when they practice certain procedures towards the patient in order to improve their skill while compromising the health of the patients. As a result, the patient suffers from complications, especially when an accident happens during a procedure such as inserting a gastric tube. Patients trust all nurses when they are going to seek medical treatment at the hospital or during a community mission to provide health care services to a certain number of populations.
Patients usually file for criminal complaints against the nurse whenever they feel that they were neglected. This is especially for patients who sustained injuries when they sought medical treatment at the hospital. As a result, the license of nurses has been revoked because they were proven guilty after the hospital conducted a thorough investigation into the matter. Hospital institutions who were involved in an ethical malpractice when their health care workers were responsible for causing damage or injuries to the patients, the license to operate can be compromised. The worst-case scenario for nursing ethics is when the patient died from injuries because nurses were unable to provide the rightful care while they were on duty. Former nurses who have their licenses revoked have to find a way to continue their productivity by searching for new jobs that are not associated with their former nursing practice (Gastmans, 2013).
Ethics as it is being used in the health sector is a concept that has evolved over time. There is no doubt that every player in the sector seeks to continually improve their services delivery as well as attaining maximum patient satisfaction in the process. In the last few years, ethics in health has developed through a number of stages. Hippocratic culture dominated traditional ethics in the 1960s where health care providers established relationships with patients. The core values of this relationship were derived from culture. The technological advancements and intensive research has seen developments in biological sciences and biotechnology. With such changes, a new ethical dimension was introduced.
Ethical principles of human dignity, compassion, non-malfeasance and social justice Nursing Ethics Essay Paper
However, with time a dilemma arose from the liberalization of health care industry. There emerged a need to harmonize the differences in health needs and resources availed for filling the gap. The scope of health ethics was thus expanded to include quality control, economics, policy formulation and implementation as well as massive research and development. Such efforts and resource harmonization gave birth to an era of health policy and ethics. As time advances there are debates on human rights protection and respect of human dignity (Bryant, Hyder and Kauser, 2007). It is now a fundamental right for every individual to enjoy quality health care without discrimination of any kind. The most recent dimension of health ethics is the fusion of lauded human rights and the fundamental right to obtain quality health services.
Contrary to direct definition of health, as the entire state of well being in terms of mental social and physical status of an individual, ethics and human dignity issues are more complicated to completely expound on them. Ethics is solidly founded on cultural convictions developed over time. It derives its relevance and strength from religious and philosophical advocates deeply embedded on the present leadership systems. It is considered as the ability of a community to clearly and amicably draw a boundary separating what is perceived as wrong and what remains a right thing.
Such a boundary touches on the aspects of life right from the way of doing things to the general perception of life. It becomes a big understatement to define ethics without mentioning the famous dimensions used to describe it. It is a cumulative approach of respect to humanity with specific focus on maintenance of autonomy of a person, delivery of justice, rights and upholding of human dignity. Ethics in health policy formulation and implementation focuses on the most cost effective means of delivering a quality health care to all. It is in this light therefore, that ethics attempts to strike a balance between the policies and values cherished by an entire community.