Ethical Health Care Issues Paper
Ethical Health Care Issues Paper
Angie Torres
HCS/545
May 06, 2013
Mr. Charles J. Barron, MHA
Ethical Health Care Issues Paper
Health care staff governed to perform their professional duties based on the practice acts from the professional licensing boards under the statutes of the states. The professional duties include the balance between competency in skills, and application of ethics that will help promote the provision of the quality of care to the public (Harris, 2008). However, there are ethical health care issues that health care professionals encounter with their patients. One ethical health care issue is the refusal of a patient for treatment, such as receiving blood transfusion because of his or her religious beliefs. Patients belonging in the international religious group called Jehovah’s Witnesses acclaimed for refusal of blood transfusion in the health care setting. The Jehovah’s Witness Society inaugurated in Pittsburgh in 1872 believed that the reason for the declination of blood transfusion is to avoid the peril of their spirituality. In 1961, members who agreed to have blood transfusion denounced consequently from the religious group, including segregation from their families, and friends. In June 2000, the governing body of Jehovah’s Witness called the Watchtower Society changed its policy regarding members who choose to receive blood transfusion to denounce willfully themselves from the group, and consequently to abjure from the congregation (Berend & Levi, 2009).
Conflicts in Jehovah’s Witness Ethics Principles
Conflicting ethical principles in the health care setting exist when a competent adult patient is refusing treatment that the health care team believed will save the patient’s life. The basic ethical principles of patient’s autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice supersede the ethical principles of beneficence, and nonmaleficence of the health care team. Under the common law, every individual has the
Angie Torres
HCS/545
May 06, 2013
Mr. Charles J. Barron, MHA
Ethical Health Care Issues Paper
Health care staff governed to perform their professional duties based on the practice acts from the professional licensing boards under the statutes of the states. The professional duties include the balance between competency in skills, and application of ethics that will help promote the provision of the quality of care to the public (Harris, 2008). However, there are ethical health care issues that health care professionals encounter with their patients. One ethical health care issue is the refusal of a patient for treatment, such as receiving blood transfusion because of his or her religious beliefs. Patients belonging in the international religious group called Jehovah’s Witnesses acclaimed for refusal of blood transfusion in the health care setting. The Jehovah’s Witness Society inaugurated in Pittsburgh in 1872 believed that the reason for the declination of blood transfusion is to avoid the peril of their spirituality. In 1961, members who agreed to have blood transfusion denounced consequently from the religious group, including segregation from their families, and friends. In June 2000, the governing body of Jehovah’s Witness called the Watchtower Society changed its policy regarding members who choose to receive blood transfusion to denounce willfully themselves from the group, and consequently to abjure from the congregation (Berend & Levi, 2009).
Conflicts in Jehovah’s Witness Ethics Principles
Conflicting ethical principles in the health care setting exist when a competent adult patient is refusing treatment that the health care team believed will save the patient’s life. The basic ethical principles of patient’s autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice supersede the ethical principles of beneficence, and nonmaleficence of the health care team. Under the common law, every individual has the
References: Berend, K., & Levi, M. (2009). Management of adult Jehovah 's Witness patients with acute bleeding. The American Journal of Medicine, 122(12), 1071-1077. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/10.1016/j.ajmed.2009.06.028 Bingham, S. (2012). Refusal of treatment and decision-making capacity. Nursing Ethics, 19(1), 167-172. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/docview/919531924?accountid=35812 Gardiner, P. (2003). A virtue ethics approach to moral dilemmas in medicine. Journal of Medical Ethics, 29, 297-302. Retrieved from http://www.jmedethics.com Harris, D. M. (2008). Contemporary issues in healthcare law and ethics (3rd ed.). Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press. Macklin, R. (2003). Applying the four principles. Journal of Medical Ethics, 29, 275-280. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/docview/216349521?accountid=35812 McInroy, A. (2005). Blood transfusion and Jehovah 's Witness: The legal and ethical issues. British Journal of Nursing, 14(5), 270-274. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/docview/199465367?accountid=35812 Morrison, E. E. (2011). Ethics in health administration: A practical approach for decision makers. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.