Health policy, law and ethics Essay

For the purpose of this subsidization I forget look at the wakeless and celebrateable aspects twisty in the hailing scenario and this go away be discussed. I will busy into consideration two the deontological and consequentialism theory. uprightnesss relevant to this scenario will be looked at. ScenarioTo prevail confidentiality the name of the unhurried has been salmagundid. The forbearing D is 60 years old potent who had kidney cancer he had been admitted to the hospital for yet treatment. On the following investigation the long-suffering had been diagnosed with the last stages of cancer which meant it had spread into the ring t lay down out. Prognoses were poor, p exclusivelyiative was to be offered. The family had requested that the patient should non be apprised on that pointfore, D was not aw ar nigh his veritable take. The patient could not understand wherefore medical supply only do him comfortable and were not taking a different approach to his t reatment. Consequently, he muzzy faith in the provide and his will to live and ref practice sessiond everything that was hold upn to him. The nurses do a closing to inform him of his terminal illness, accept this to be in his scoop up interest. He understood the spot and expressed a wish to die at home. judicial aspectsThe situation that the nurses faced in this scenario was uncomfortable for both the patient and the health awe pros. The nurses had a quandary of wakeless and ethical aspects on one hand, and patients effectual proficients on other hand. In either discussion of ethical issues in medicine, legal aspects may arise. both(prenominal) of them set standards of conduct, where equity often shows a kind of minimum ethical societal consensus (Emanuel et.al. 1999, p2). The study of rightfulness expresses a process of legal call ining and applying legal doctrine to the real-life situation in the health vex setting (Flight and Meacham 2011). A deontology come s from the classical term deon, meaning duty (Jones and Beck 1996). washrag and Baldwin (2004) state, deontological is fundamental in medicine as it delegacy do no psychic trauma and act in the patients best interest (p.54). Using deontology approach in this case, healthc are providers were following the rule Act in the patients best interest. The problem that occurred in this situation is that it was difficult for the health palm professionals as from a legal point of observe thepatient had a right to notice the rightness if he wish.The NHS Constitution (2013) states, that a patient has the right to be involved in discussions and decisions slightly his the health and care, including discontinue of life care, and they be given learning to enable the patient to do this (p.9). health care professionals were acting concord to the Hippocratic pest and following a set of rules, which are established as a textile of the NHS. one(a) of the rules states, that nurses moldines s safeguard and get along interests of individual patients and client (Tingle and Cribb 2007, p.16). Medical professionals must always act in the best interest of the patient. However, difficulty may be experienced in certain situations as the b social clubline between legal issues and ethics is narrow. The authorized professional concept of care for is accountability for their actions to deliver appropriate care for their patients. This accountability is applicable in the legal context and important professionally, it is based on do itledge and understanding.Therefore, legally it is closely tie in to negligence and duty of care (Young 1995). In this scenario the nurses matte that they were acting as an counselor for the patient by following the rules. capital of Alabama (1995), state that accountability, responsibility and duty of care are closely linked. Ir heedive of professional standing responsibilities, health care staff are liquid accountable, with regard to duty of care indoors the expectation of their job (Fletcher and Buka 1999). In this case, the patients anxiety could adopt been alleviated if he had been to the full informed of the severity of his medical condition. This would then enable him to understand and accept this news, and would not booster cable the further complications in his psychological condition. Kravitz and Melnikow (2001) elicit that patients roleicipation in the decision reservation process about their care is necessary.Analysing this situation I felt that patient D had a overleap of self-direction. A patient should be fully informed about the diagnosis, and consent should be obtained for the treatment proposed otherwise the independent creation would be disregarded (Fletcher et al 1995). The richness of patient autonomy came from Nuremberg Trials codes of ethics, which was established in 1948 and stated that The voluntary consent of the clement subject is absolutely essential (Washington 1949 p.181). The au tonomy of D was disregarded by his family as they believed it would not be beneficial for him to be the justness. However, D had the capacity to make autonomousdecisions, such as whether or not he wanted to receive entropy about his current condition. honourable aspectsThe issue that medical staff came across was to respect patients autonomy that had been breached in the expound situation. Pearson et al (2005) states that patients are individuals, they hold the right to be involved in making the decision process about themselves and their future. This belief refers to patient autonomy which is define as freedom of making decisions within their limits of competency. Being unaware of his medical condition patient D had been deprived of his autonomy. Hendrick (2004) described autonomy as the ability to think about their lives and act accordingly to a chosen set of rules. approveing autonomy meaning treating a person as an individual, involving him in discussion about his planne d treatment, allowing him make his own decision. This is an essential part of some(prenominal) document of patients rights. OConnell et al (2010) states that there are some ethical article of beliefs in nurse which include two important elements such as benignity and non-maleficence.Both of them slang significant implications for nurses. Hendrick (2000) supporting this learn states that, in health care settings beneficence appears to be a straight forward term, and means to do good. In this situation there had arisen a massive ethical dilemma, and to choose the right approach to do good was not very idle for nurses. From one side, we had the patient who was not satisfactory for any medical treatment, as he was terminally ill but still had the right for palliative care, hence staff had to comply with all ethical principles. One of them was beneficence, as it seemed beneficial in the first gear not to tell the patient the truth about his condition, according to his family wis hes. The family believed that patient Ds unawareness of reality would serve well him cope with his progressive illness. However, nurses whose responsibility it was to nurse the patient from psychological stress and follow another ethical principle, which is non-maleficence. Beauchamp and Childress (2009) state that, the principle of non-maleficence dictates an obligation not to harm.Both beneficence and non-maleficence were described in the Hippocratic bloke as I will use those dietary regimens which will benefit my patients according to my greatest ability and judgement, and Iwill do no harm or injustice to them (Greek medicine 2010). The patient Ds reaction to the atmosphere contact him determined the medical staff to change the original approach to his care and give him the correct information about his prognosis. Respect should be shown to the patient a transparent obligation to give him a realistic picture of his condition. The patient had a right to know the truth, as he was orgasm the end of his life. He might shoot to discuss some questions with his family and carers in order to arrange his affairs (Nicoll 1997). Basford and Slevin (1999) state, the principles of autonomy and justice as, are vital in healthcare practice and are dominant in many arguments within medical and nursing ethics. Consequently, there is a conflict between the patients right to know and the carers duty of care. Honesty is an important part of any relationship. Jeffrey (2006) suggests that communication would become empty if there was no overriding lesson obligation to be truthful (p. 64). consequenceIn any ethical dilemma healthcare staff should follow the political relation polices according to the Code of Conduct. As they are responsible for peoples health and have an honour to represent the National Healthcare Service, therefore, they cannot take any situation emotionally and personally. The healthcare professionals attitude to clinical judgement seemed to have in creased during the last decade. Considering this, healthcare staff were taking into account new views of designation of patient rights, to make an autonomous choice. The patient D had an opportunity for choice and made a decision to die at home. The argument in this situation was that all medical professionals should be telling the truth whether or not the patients family agreed. In this case I believe the medical staff were acting professionally and the patient received the attention he required in time, and there were no regrets afterwards.ReferencesBasford and Slevin (1999) Theory and practice of breast feeding Cheltenham UK Beauchamp and Childress (2009) Principles of biomedical ethics (6th edition) tonic York US Emanuel L, von Gunten C and Ferris F (1999). 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