Question

Please write a 3-5 page paper addressing the following questions:
- How does your worldview influence your understanding of ethics?
- Why is ethics important for healthcare? (Make reference to at least two ethical theories discussed in this course and their relevance to healthcare.)
- What does it mean to be a patient advocate and why is that important?
- In your own words, what is compassionate nursing?
- How can you avoid burnout as a medical practitioner related to emotional turmoil?

Answer 1

• Ethics are what makes your life liveable. Without ethics, no one would bother to make any laws, and without laws there's nothing stopping people from killing others, burning buildings and doing all sorts of immoral activities. Your very existence depends on the existence of ethics.
• Ethics form the base ground of values which differ from one culture to another. Ethics was applied in health care system, since ancient Egyptian times. A physician has moral obligations towards his patient based on physician -patient's relationship. The ethical principle of confidentiality confirms that patient can trust his health care provider not to disclose any information that the patient may have given in order to get cured. A current ethical issue in research involving human participant's informed consent has prime importance. The subject and his guardian must have the capacity to understand the issue in question and the possible risks of treatment in the trial study.
• In the utilitarian approach, decisions are chose based on the greatest amount of benefit obtained for the greatest number of individuals.A few examples of utilitarian approach in medical care include setting a target by hospitals for resuscitation of premature newborns (gestational age) or treatment of burns patients (degree of injury) based on the availability of time and resources.
• In contrast to the utilitarian concept, deontology is ethics of duty where the morality of an action depends on the nature of the action, i.e., harm is unacceptable irrespective of its consequences.
• Patient advocates can fulfill many roles to help individuals proactively manage their health care. The process typically begins with the advocate making a list of everyone involved in the person’s care and all medications the person is taking. Patient advocates will help their client make an informed decision about treatment options and procedures by helping their client plainly understand what is entailed, what the pros and cons are for each option and what side effects could be.
• Compassion, or caring can be viewed as “nursing’s most precious asset”, a fundamental element of nursing care, and as one of the strengths of the profession. It involves being close to patients and seeing their situation as more than a medical scenario and routine procedures.Nurses should provide care based on patients' individual needs. Knowing and involving patients and carers in their care is crucial to improve quality and for patients who are too ill or cannot articulate.
• According to a study of primary care physicians reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, meditation has been shown to improve mood and decrease feelings of burnout, decrease feelings of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and improve feelings of personal accomplishment and patient empathy.
• Regular exercise improves your mood and naturally lowers the symptoms of anxiety and stress.
• Taking regular scheduled offs is important as well to rejuvenate.