Jamilah Ethical Dilemmas
A1. Introduction/Potential Ethical Dilemmas
Jamilah Shah arrived at the hospital after collapsing. Once testing was completed, it was determined that Jamilah suffered from a heart attack. A decision regarding whether further treatment is going to be done needs to be made quickly, but before a decision can be made, all aspects of her health and quality of life need to be assessed/considered. Many potential ethical dilemmas exist in this situation. These include disagreeing opinions between the healthcare team members and disagreeing opinions between the family members and the patient. The healthcare team wants to do anything they can to help with Jamilah’s treatment, while the family, mainly the oldest son Bashir, does not want any further treatment to be done. Jamilah has stated to the social worker that she does want help and does want to live. The three specific dilemmas involved in this situation are autonomy, beneficence, and nonmaleficence.
A1a. Ethical Principles and Legal Requirements
Autonomy: This ethical principle is conflicting due to many factors. Due to the patient’s language barrier, it is hard to recognize that the patient is able to make her own decisions. Jamilah stated clearly to the social worker “please help me. I want to live.” The patient being 90 years old and living in an extended care facility, leads her …show more content…
It needs to be found out and understood why he is deciding this route. The ethics committee needs to question him about whether Jamilah had expressed these wishes to him previously. The patient’s other children should also be included in the decision making, for the continuation or stopping of treatment. If the other children are not included in the decision making and the decision to not treat Jamilah is made leading to her death, there is a possibility that the other children could come back and blame the hospital for not consulting
Jamilah Shah arrived at the hospital after collapsing. Once testing was completed, it was determined that Jamilah suffered from a heart attack. A decision regarding whether further treatment is going to be done needs to be made quickly, but before a decision can be made, all aspects of her health and quality of life need to be assessed/considered. Many potential ethical dilemmas exist in this situation. These include disagreeing opinions between the healthcare team members and disagreeing opinions between the family members and the patient. The healthcare team wants to do anything they can to help with Jamilah’s treatment, while the family, mainly the oldest son Bashir, does not want any further treatment to be done. Jamilah has stated to the social worker that she does want help and does want to live. The three specific dilemmas involved in this situation are autonomy, beneficence, and nonmaleficence.
A1a. Ethical Principles and Legal Requirements
Autonomy: This ethical principle is conflicting due to many factors. Due to the patient’s language barrier, it is hard to recognize that the patient is able to make her own decisions. Jamilah stated clearly to the social worker “please help me. I want to live.” The patient being 90 years old and living in an extended care facility, leads her …show more content…
It needs to be found out and understood why he is deciding this route. The ethics committee needs to question him about whether Jamilah had expressed these wishes to him previously. The patient’s other children should also be included in the decision making, for the continuation or stopping of treatment. If the other children are not included in the decision making and the decision to not treat Jamilah is made leading to her death, there is a possibility that the other children could come back and blame the hospital for not consulting