MAKING ETHICAL DECISIONS
ABSTRACT
All medical information is personal and sensitive. Every hospital in the world there rules which set out how medical information and records should be shared. All professionals, such as doctors, nurses should follow these rules. They understand that they can’t share your medical information with the third party if you don’t consent. What you share with doctors or any physician should be kept confidential and private to protect you. This withholding of medical information is called doctor-patient confidentiality. Medical data collected from sexual health clinics, pharmacies, disability services, dental surgeries, maternal and child health clinics should be kept confidential. There are processes followed by ethics committee when deciding a conflict. This conflict happens when people values contradict with ethical principles.
Making ethical decisions
Every professional usually encounter challenges regarding ethical issues. In the medical sector, a conflict may involve bleaching of patient’s privacy and confidentiality. An ethical conflict happens when there is uncertainty or controversy which arises against certain ethical principles or organizational values. ( Grundstein‐Amado, R)
The ethical committee is formed to develop a process or a system to solve such ethical conflicts. The manner of making a fabulous decision can take time, but it can produce ethically defensible judgments. This decision-making process includes the following.
Recognize the circumstance which leads to conflict
Figure out all issues leading to ethical conflict. It is essential to understand the medical problems in question. The humane committee can consider patient diagnosis, treatment options, goals care, and prognosis. Other factors can be viewed, such as patient’s preferences, decision-making capacity. Every individual involved in a decision such as the patient, doctor, or patient’s family should get an opportunity for them to express their opinion regarding factors in the ethical conflict. (1993)
Individuals or conferences execute decision during the meeting. It is also essential to understand all economic, social, legal implication before making an ethical decision. After understanding and identifying all factors in moral conflict, issues which are considered to the conflict should be reviewed to know whether they are conflicting with ethical standards or not.one of the example can be regarded as when the patients’ family understand differently than the physician concerning patient’s prognosis. When these parties agree on the same issue, the ethical conflict is eliminated or reduced.
Identify an ethical question which should be clarified.
When all facts, competing perspectives, and issues are determined, the next process is to discuss the ethical conflict. During the discussion, the moral question should agree on fighting ethical values. Example in healthcare professionals should provide assistant needed by patients, which may seem not beneficial. The conflict which should be clarified is whether the autonomy of the patient can be limited.
Consider ethical principles or organizational values
The next process is to identify all ethical values and principles related to the conflict. Is there any policies, legal perspective which relate to the conflict in question.
Figure out the options for response.
During this step, decision-makers should consider all potential options to respond to the ethical question. It includes reviewing all moral justification for every choice. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each option?
Recommend a response
After critical review and analysis of various options, the ethical committee should propose an alternative. The committee is mandated to inform all people the final recommendation. It should also include a recommended course of action .for example in clinical case it should be written in patients’ chart or EHR.
Conclusion
Ethical conflicts are well addressed when all partied involved are given a chance to discuss their values, opinion and concerns.at the end it is important to note that making ethical decision is not an algorithm.it does not provide one certain clear solution, but it enhances ethical reasoning.
References
Grundstein‐Amado, R. (1993). Ethical decision‐making processes used by health care providers. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 18(11), 1701-1709.