a)Personal attitudes, beliefs and values In situations where there is a conflict of interest or a dilemma between an individual's rights and your own beliefs and values, it is their right as an individual to be able to make informed choices about their own lives, even if you disagree with their choice.
A care worker who holds certain religious or moral values about abortion may face a dilemma when trying to assist a person receiving care who becomes pregnant and wishes to have an abortion.
b) Organisational priorities and values Organisational priorities may be to hit targets in relation to the number of people cared for and the number of care tasks completed in a given time. This may create a dilemma for the care worker because person-centred approaches are about enabling individuals to live their own lives and not just providing a service. They focus on the person's needs and not the tasks that need completing.
Dilemmas may be created for the care worker when the priorities and values of the care organisation that they work for, differ from those of the person receiving care.
c) Positive risk taking Positive risk taking means balancing risks against the benefits of encouraging a person's freedom and autonomy.
Dilemmas relating to risk taking and freedom of action arise in many different health and social care settings - for example:
- question of whether a person with early dementia should continue driving,
- balance between facilitating a person`s wishes and protecting their safety may arise in terms of safe walking outside,
- considering how to meet a person`s desire for privacy in the bathroom despite concern about the danger of falling.
Encouraging independence and freedom of action is an important part of providing good quality of care and of supporting a person`s autonomy. Restrictions that limit these freedoms may have an adverse effect both on the person`s autonomy and on their