Question

Reflection paper will include the topic of Criminal Aspects of Healthcare. (Charles Cullen videos). What new things have you learned about the topic? How has your learning affected preconceptions or misconceptions you brought with you into class about Criminal Aspects of Healthcare? How does your learning affect your view of Criminal Aspects of Healthcare? Will what you have learned change your professional behavior or attitudes in the future?

Charles Edmund Cullen is a former nurse who is the most prolific serial killer in New Jersey history and is suspected to be the most prolific serial killer in American history. He confessed to authorities that he killed up to 40 patients during the course of his 16-year nursing career. But in subsequent interviews with police, psychiatric professionals, and journalists Charles Graeber and Steve Kroft, it became clear that he had killed many more, whom he could not specifically remember by name, though he could often remember details of their case. Experts have estimated that Charles Cullen may ultimately be responsible for over 300 deaths, which would make him the most prolific serial killer in American history. Charles Cullen was to look after the sickest of the sick. People recovering from burns and life-threatening illnesses. But he betrayed their trust in the most egregious way imaginable murdering his patients.  

Answer 1

Charles Cullen in New Jersey who may have killed over 400 patients across 16 years as a nurse in nine hospitals. medical professionals we all rely on in our most helpless and unguarded moments train for many years in order to treat and support patients within their care. The case of Charles Cullen is a complicated one with a personal history marked with suicide attempts, police investigations and stays in psychiatric wards, however, no one raised the alarm when his working practices were dangerous and not up to standard. A nurse who was reportedly fired five times from nursing roles was still able to practice as a nurse at different hospitals and continue gaining access to patients.

They have a level of responsibility to their patients and a level of trust which is seen in few other relationships between individuals. In the early years, such cases were often referred to as ‘angel of mercy’ killings. This comes from the notion that some of those responsible carry out their crimes to, in their eyes, relieve the patient of their suffering.However, not all cases fit this mold and it is not uncommon for what may have started as an act of perceived mercy, to turn into something else over time, where a perpetrator begins to expand their victim pool out with this criterion of the suffering patient.

Thrill Seekers – these are individuals who achieve a thrill from the act of killing, a thrill which they want to repeat over and over again.
Power Oriented – in this group, they kill to achieve a feeling of power and control. Dr. Harold Shipman is an example of a medical serial killer who falls within this category.
Gain Motivated – these individuals receive something from the act of killing, this may be relieving a burden by removing the patient from their care or they may be able to steal money or belongings from the patient.
Missionary Killers – less common, these are serial killers within healthcare who believe they are doing a good deed by getting rid of people who are “immoral or unworthy” in some way.

Access to drugs appears to be the enabler for these crimes with the most common method of killing being poisoning with the majority of cases included in this study involving drugs and over 50% had a history of mental health issues of some kind and signs of a personality disorder.The principles of self-determination and individual well-being support the use of voluntary euthanasia by those who do not have moral or professional objections to it. Opponents of this posture cite the ethical wrongness of the act itself and the folly of any public or legal policy permitting euthanasia. Positive consequences of making euthanasia legally permissible respect the autonomy of competent patients desiring it, expand the population of patients who can choose the option, and release the dying patient from otherwise prolonged suffering and agony. Potentially bad consequences of permitting euthanasia include the undermining of the "moral center" of medicine by allowing physicians to kill, the weakening of society's commitment to provide optimal care for dying patients, and, of greatest concern, the "slippery slope" argument. The evaluation of the arguments leads to support for euthanasia, with its performance not incompatible with a physician's professional commitment.

In criminal proceedings with a medical/legal background, the "classic" accusation of medical malpractice (negligent physical injury or death caused by negligence) continues to be the most common of all.

In future criminal aspects in health care will see a drastic changeover. However, medical criminal law has also become genuine commercial criminal law in the meantime: it is increasingly the case that doctors, pharmacists and hospital managers are accused of fraudulent billing. Furthermore, since the anti-corruption law came into force, cooperations within the health care system have been investigated for misconduct under corruption law. They will defend doctors, pharmacists, psychotherapists and executives of clinics as well as companies within the health care sector in all areas of criminal law for the medical profession. Our work ranges from preventive preliminary advice, to representation vis-à-vis public prosecutors' offices right through to defence in the main trial. In doing so, we always keep the important extra-criminal law aspects in view and take into account the impact of criminal proceedings, e. g. on civil lawsuits for damages, subsequent proceedings under professional and SHI-physician legislation and licensing law.

A regards clinics and companies, we also coordinate the defence and represent the interests of companies during criminal proceedings.

As this field continues to develop and change throughout history, the focus remains on fair, balanced, and moral thinking across all cultural and religious backgrounds around the world. The field of medical ethics encompasses both practical application in clinical settings and scholarly work in philosophy, history, and sociology.

Medical ethics encompasses beneficence, autonomy, and justice as they relate to conflicts such as euthanasia, patient confidentiality, informed consent, and conflicts of interest in healthcare. In addition, medical ethics and culture are interconnected as different cultures implement ethical values differently, sometimes placing more emphasis on family values and downplaying the importance of autonomy. This leads to an increasing need for culturally sensitive physicians, nurses and ethical committees in hospitals and other healthcare settings.

Many professional ethicists recommend using four basic values, or principles, to decide ethical issues: Autonomy: Patients basically have the right to determine their own healthcare. Justice: Distributing the benefits and burdens of care across society. Beneficence: Doing good for the patient.