Medical Ethics Between Physician and Patient Essay

Limentani, A. E. (1998). An ethical code for everybody in health care: The role and limitations

Ethics is a strongly culturally linked area of philosophy interrelated with what is considered acceptable human conduct. There are two branches of ethics; medical ethics and bioethics. The moral conduct and principles which govern practices of medical and health professionals falls under medical ethics, whereas in biomedicine and the health sciences theorised developments in the study of social and moral issues is considered bioethics(1). There are two philosophical principles within the conduction of health care research these are deontology and utilitarianism. Deontology is an approach to ethics that focuses on the rightness or wrongness of actions themselves, as opposed to the rightness or wrongness of the consequences of those actions (2). Utilitarianism states that the most benefit

For example, the Hippocratic oat, the prayer of Moses Maimonides, the bible, the Holy Koran, and the Islamic legacy, as well as cultures, traditions, and social morality have shaped and guided the development of ethical standards in the medical profession. The majority of these historical documents focus on “avoiding harm to patients” Ethics refers to a professional moral conduct. Ethics, particularly professional ethics, describes the moral actions based on professional character and ethical principles in each profession. The statements of medical ethics require the health care providers to do what is best for the patient and place the patients’ interests before the interests of the physician. Above all, the purpose of medical ethics is to protect and defend human dignity and patients’

For years now doctors and patients with a strong religious background have clashed over what they is right for them. I have researched for weeks on how these conflicts have affected both doctors and patients. The cultural clash between religion and medicine could cause both the doctors and the patients to be uncomfortable in their own individual ways. In this paper I will discuss how both doctors and religious patients need to find ways to accept each other’s standpoint or opinion on how they should be treated medically and religiously. The main purpose of this paper is convince you of ways that both western doctors and patients with a strong religious background can respect each others belief system of how they should be medically treated in a hospital.

This paper will breakdown the difference between clinical and institutional ethics. How this can cause conflict between healthcare and society. Thus, providing an example of how healthcare professionals can be conflicted when trying to provide the best quality care or a compassionate treatment outcome.

As someone who is interested in pursuing a career in the medical field, it becomes apparent that medicine and ethics have a unique and pertinent relationship. Everyday doctors, nurses, and other health care workers have to make ethical decisions or help families make ethical decisions for their patients. For example, in the video that featured bioethicist Toby Schonfeld, she discussed some of the ethical dilemmas faced in hospitals today. The most notable ethical conflicts she noted were physician assisted suicide, and other dilemmas such as transferring a patient to palliative care, or whether someone should get a pacemaker or not. Perhaps, in my future I will face similar ethical problems and will have to figure out a way to draw a conclusion that is the best for both the patient and their family.

The term “medical ethics” is defined by The American Medical Association as “(1) moral principles or practices and (2) matters of social policy involving issues of morality in the practice of medicine.” The nine principles of medical ethics as outlined by the AMA tell how a physician should conduct themselves in the profession, the third and fourth of which states “(3) A physician shall respect the law and also recognize a responsibility to seek changes in those requirements which are contrary to the best interests of the patient. (4) A physician shall respect the rights of patients, colleagues, and other health professionals, and shall safeguard patient confidences and privacy within the constraints of the

a) Dr. Sandra Soo-Jin Lee focuses on sociocultural ethical issues in her field of medical anthropology. She studies with an intersectional approach to data and science. (“Sandra Soo-Jin Lee, Ph.D.”, n.d.).

America is a melting pot of different cultures, and with the cultural diversity there comes differences in healthcare traditions and decisions (Racher & Annis, 2007). Whether it’s a religious approach to healthcare or a cultural tradition, everyone has a different approach to his or her health. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the author’s heritage and healthcare traditions, differences in other cultures and their healthcare traditions and the effect that their heritage can have on healthcare, and the

Ms. Dennis has been diagnosed with the type-1 diabetes mellitus twenty-one years ago. She has been on insulin therapy since then, however despite the adherence to the therapy, she was frequently hospitalized due to the ketoacidosis episodes. After she joined the diabetic program, she was better able to manage her life-style choices which help her to accomplish better therapeutic outcomes. Regrettably three years ago, Ms. Dennis went through a dreadful divorce followed by a loss of her executive position. Since then, she has been noncompliant with her insulin therapy as well as with her lifestyle modifications. She started to abuse alcohol and due to the poor diet choices, she also gained a lot of weight. The poor management of her disease state lead her to the frequent hospitalizations. Ms. Dennis’s physician referred her to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist recommended a behavior modification treatment which she completed, however, the treatment did not deliver a desired outcome. The physician becomes frustrated with her and considers severing the patient-physician relationships. However, before he does so, he contacts me, the pharmacist in charge of the diabetic counseling clinic, and asks me to help Ms. Dennis to manage her diabetes. The physician stresses that if I will not be able to get her to be compliant with the therapy, she will definitely die. I agree to it. However, despite coming to the clinic regularly for a year, Ms.

Weijer, C., Dickens, B., & Meslin, E. (1997). Bioethics for clinicians: 10. Research ethics. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 156(8),

When working in the healthcare field you will always have to be on guard and watchful of

The code of medical ethics was written with the intention of standardizing the expectation for ethical behavior throughout every professional medical setting within the United States. This collection of ethical principles was intended for physician and patient alike, so that there would be a thorough understanding of the expectations of both parties within the medical setting. Rules concerning the subject matter should be shaped according to the recommendation of experienced physicians, past and present, including Hippocrates. Importance is placed on medical case history which has, and will continue to, shape the ethical code,

It is understandable a family member of someone who needs a feeding tube would be scared and apprehensive of this procedure. There are fears associated with placing a feeding tube including malnutrition causing the patient to starve; however, it is the healthcare provider’s responsibility to thoroughly explain the procedure and its benefits to the family. A large aspect of the nursing profession is being an advocate for the patient and explaining to the family that certain procedures are important for the benefit of their health. There are ethics that must be adhered to during patient and family teaching that will give the patient and their family the information they need in a respectful and professional manner. These ethics include

Ethics, in medicine, is described as applying one’s morals and values to healthcare decisions (Fremgen 2012). It requires a critical-thinking approach that examines important considerations such as fairness for all patients, the impact of the decision on society and the future repercussions of the decision (Fremgen 2012). According to Fremgen (2012), bioethics concerns ethical issues discussed in the perspective of advanced medical technology. Goldman and Schafer (2012) state bioethical issues that arise in medical practice include antibiotics, dialysis, transplantation, intensive care units, issues of genetics, reproductive choices and termination of care. In clinical practice the most common issues revolve around informed consent, termination of life-sustaining treatments, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, and conflicts of interest (Goldman, Schafer 2012).