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Ethical Health Care Issues Paper

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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. …show more content…

The validity of the informed consent should consist of three factors. First, the patient is competent to give an informed consent by verbalizing or acknowledging understanding of the nature of the treatment plans. Second, the patient should give consent willfully without an undue influence or threat from other individuals. Third, the patient should receive full disclosure, including the risks, and benefits of the treatment plans from his or her physician (McInroy, 2005).
The ethical principles of beneficence, and nonmaleficence from a patient who is refusing blood transfusion believed that refusal of this treatment would honor the benefits over harm. Based on the values practiced among the Jehovah’s Witness members, the harm resulting from receiving the blood transfusion will cause a dismissal in achieving an eternal salvation. Nevertheless, the harm resulting from refusing the blood transfusion will create less harm, which is the end of one’s mortal life on earth. The belief of the Jehovah’s Witness members pertains to a rational decision, which the eternal salvation preferred substantially compared with the additional years of temporary life on earth (Macklin, 2003). The ethical principle of justice from a patient pertains to a fair, and equal provision of respect regardless of the patient’s cultural or religious beliefs. However, the

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