Paramedics, like all healthcare professionals, once they have made contact with the patient have a clear duty of care outlined in law to provide treatment to patients who require it (Clarke, Harris and Cowland 2012). However, the above case study outlines a patient who is refusing treatment after consuming large amounts of alcohol and an overdose of medication. Therefore, it is the aim of this assignment to assert how an attending paramedic can ensure the best possible outcome and treatment for the patient whilst adhering to the applicable legal and ethical frameworks imposed. In order to achieve this the assignment will commence by critically analysing how an ethical framework and ethical principles can and should be applied to both the above scenario and more generally in paramedic practice. From this understanding of the underlying principles the assignment will next examine both the legal and ethical standpoints surrounding capacity and consent and analyse how these should be applied to the scenario. This will then enable an inclusion of the relevant legislation and an analysis of how patient 's mental health needs should be considered whilst under the influence of alcohol. The assignment will conclude with an examination of the overarching legal obligation to provide a duty of care and the implications of breaching this duty by bringing in examples of Health Care and Professions Council (HCPC) hearings. In order to assert how an ethical framework can and should be
Creating and defining my own ethical framework is essential in future success as a businessman, a leader, and a team player. As a business student, I have learned that it can be a very cut throat industry and in order to get ahead, at some point and ethical dilemma will undoubtedly be an obstacle I have to overcome. The way I handle these dilemmas can make or break my career; business ethics are a key part of earning and sustaining respect, trust, and a good rapport with both clients and competitors in your industry. Therefore a solid ethical framework is an important tool for me to have as a standard for handling these types of dilemmas so that I can grow successfully while staying true to myself and to
As a professional health care worker, the implication confidentiality breach regarding ethical dilemmas are significant to nurse and patient. The information disclosed can cause problems on a personal and professional level. Breach of confidentiality occurs when the heath care work discloses the patient 's medical or personal information without the patient 's informed written or verbal consent. Confidentiality is needed between the nurse and the patient to maintain a good open and honest relationship between both parties. There are several ethical implications regarding breach of confidentiality, for example,
Health care professionals are obliged by common law to obtain consent before any medical treatment is given to a patient. Every person has the right to decide what happens to his or her body, therefore, can choose to accept or refuse medical treatment (Townsend & Luck, 2013, p. 93). This article aims to outline what is determined as lawful consent and how it applies in paramedic practice.
Henrietta Lacks, a woman that died of cervical cancer in 1951, single handedly changed the field of science. Not long before she passed away, a doctor took a sample of her cancer cells, the cells from her cervix were later on named HeLa cells, and these cells helped pave the way to numerous experiments and research all over the world. Even though HeLa brought along many achievements with its discovery, it also brought disappointments to some researchers, and pain for her family. You see, she nor her family consented to her cells being sampled, or the amounts of experiments and research that occurred after. Her family was never aware that such actions even took place. Even so, on February 1st, 1951, the day Henrietta Lacks walked in to John
55). Ensuring duty of care to a patient requires the paramedic to take reasonable care and skill in providing a patient with advice and treatment (Curtis & Ramsden, 2015, p. 55) when there is a foreseeable risk of harm to another (Townsend & Luck, 2013, p. 55). Furthermore, when treating patients, such as the one in question, the four principles of bioethics must be adhered too. Applying the four principals allows paramedics to weigh up the available choices, to decide which action best conforms to each principal. Curtis and Ramsden (2015) recognise the four principles to be, autonomy – respect for peoples decisions and values, beneficence – help people, non-maleficence – don’t harm people, and justice – treat like cases alike (p. 34). In addition, it is required that paramedics follow local codes of conduct regarding gaining valid consent (or valid refusal of treatment) from this patient. There are four elements of valid consent, these include voluntary, informed, relevant and capacity (Clinical Quality & Patient Safety Unit, QAS, 2016). Patients must give consent voluntarily, with no coercion and provided sufficient information (Townsend & Luck, 2013, p. 95) regarding the options for their treatment and the risks involved with refusing
Health care professionals are subject to a multitude of professional, legal, and ethical responsibilities which call for personal judgment to be utilized in such a manner as to protect clients as well as public wellness and interests. Overall considerations in handling such duties may be considered to be respect of a client’s autonomy, confidence, and recognition of obligations owed to all clients. While the aforementioned acts fall within the professional realm, there are also legal implications that guide care. Therefore, it can be said that ethical considerations occur in observation of legal responsibilities. Confidential information is perceived as private facts which are disclosed with the
The main focus of this assignment is to examine the ethical, legal and professional frameworks, along with interprofessional collaboration in the provision of postoperative care to a gentleman who was refusing observations and how this influences and shapes professional practice.
Henrietta Lacks was born on August 1, 1920, in Roanoke, Virginia and she died due to complications of cervical cancer on October 4, 1951.She had been receiving treatment at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. At the hospital she was treated with radium tube inserts, which is said to be the standard treatment for cervical cancer in 1951. As a matter of routine, samples of her cervix were removed without permission. Henrietta was 31 years old when she died. In this time it was customary for doctors and researchers to remove cells from a person for testing. Likewise cells were taken from Henrietta. The problem was that the cells were
Nurses play a vital role in safe and effective pain management to optimise patients’ outcomes and to reduce pain-associated complications within the legal and ethical framework (Atkins, Britton & De Lacey 2011; Glowacki 2015). This paper will apply clinical reason cycle as a framework to approach an immediate postoperative case, discussing its legal and ethical issues that arise by the actions of two nurses regarding pain assessment and morphine administration, and offer a possible approach to reduce the risks of opioid intoxication.
Then, if I were ask to add two items to the Statement of Ethical Principles, it would be integrity and loyalty. Those two values can keep someone on the right track in terms of behavior. In my opinion, integrity is an ability to do the right things, but it cannot guarantee that it will be forever. That is why we need loyalty. Loyalty means continuously doing the thing they used to do. So, if someone has integrity and loyalty, it is a complete package.
The author will analyse scenario 5 (appendix a) as he has no practical experience of Do Not Resuscitate Orders (DNAR) and believes this is an excellent opportunity to professionally develop himself in order to improve future patient care. This assignment will reflect, in relation to paramedic practice, on legal, professional and ethical frameworks whilst also considering interpersonal communication theories that impact on the delivery of care. Legal frameworks, including the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and Human Rights Act (HRA) 1997, will be scrutinised alongside professional frameworks offered by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), such as the Standards of conduct, performance and ethics (2012). The impact of these frameworks upon duty of care, consent, capacity and best interests will be examined whilst various interpersonal communication theories will be explored, including transactional analysis and the influence of verbal and non-verbal communication. A conclusion will then be offered with well-supported reasoning for this decision.
Ø Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) argued that moral requirements are based on a standard of rationality he dubbed the
As healthcare workers, it is important to have an understanding of the legal and ethics behind nursing. Having a legal understanding is important as it sets the boundaries to what healthcare professionals can and cannot perform under certain circumstances. Legal is an important part of nursing, however, ethics is just as important as it varies from person to person. Even though ethics is not setting boundaries, it enables for a better understanding how and why ethical conflict issues arise. In this scenario, the legal requirements and option will be discussed in relation to consent. Ethical decision will be discussed in relation to the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human rights and applying the Kerridge, Lowe, and Stewart (2013) model to resolve an ethical problem.
A code of ethics document may outline the mission and values of the business or organization, how professionals are supposed to approach problems, the ethical principles based on the organization's core values and the standards to which the professional will be held. In PETRONAS, the workers have a duty to serve PETRONAS with good faith, fidelity, diligence and integrity. The workers are required to behave in the best interests of PETRONAS and to cease from getting involved in conduct activities, which may unpleasantly affect the best interests of PETRONAS. They are at all times required to conscientiously maintain the highest degree of integrity. Secondly, always exercise proper care and judgments. Next, avoid conflicts of interest and last but not least, refrain from taking advantage of your position or exercising your authority to further your own personal interest at the expense of PETRONAS.
First and foremost it is important to understand the meaning of ethics. I define ethics to be the decision between what I believe to be morally right and wrong. Many different factors influence my opinions on ethics such as my values, culture I grew up in, my family, religious beliefs, and many others. While I have my own beliefs on what I deem to be right and wrong, there are also rules, views, and models to help when making ethical decisions. Each rule is not perfect, but the advantages help individuals to better understand all the factors that go into making ethical decisions.