Blog # 6

For BLOG #6, discuss your own "working" definition of healthcare ethics. You may need to refer back to previously covered chapters, in addition to consulting Chapters 13 and 14. Think about the following: What morals/values are important to you? What are your moral bottom lines (i.e. how far is too far; what would you quit your job over, etc.)? What kind of healthcare employee (clinical or managerial) do you want to be?

My working definition of healthcare ethics is far from perfect but nonetheless, it is my personal definition. I think healthcare ethics is about being able to distinguish what is right and what is wrong and then being able to actually do what is right and leave the wrong behind. Healthcare ethics involves respect, unity, and being a good person.

I originally stated Viktor Frankl as the theorist that I resonated the most with primarily because I share his philosophy in my life. Frankl believed that people weren't just a body; they were a "total person", with a mind, body, and spirits. Furthermore, he believed that people made decisions based on what they believe in or are committed to and that our conscience is used to choose the best action to finding meaning to any given situation. That is a strong philosophy and those are the type of values/morals that I try to live my life by. I believe in respect, compassion, honesty, in the rightness of things, and seeing people for more than just a "being".

My moral bottom lines include the wrongness aspect of things in life, especially in the healthcare setting. I think my moral bottom line has to be drawn when I see a company/administration doing things that are not ethically correct. Deliberately tampering with billing, talking about patient's private health information, verbally mistreating patients/employees are some of the things that I would definitely not want to be associated with.

The kind of healthcare employee that I currently am and I will continue to be is the kind of person that will stand up for things/people when things are not right/unfair. I am compassionate, honest, respectful, and I believe in unity, and the fact that people are more than just a "being". What we ought to be, not what is: if we were to all follow this motto, the healthcare world and the entire world really, would essentially be near perfection.

Blog # 5

For BLOG #5, think like an "interdisciplinary" ethics committee.  Chapter 10 contains information on Ethics Committees.  

Review the case below and adopt 2-3 roles (below) and develop a response to this case.  The perspective of each role you choose may look different.  For example, a CEO will respond differently than a physician than will a nurse.

Case for review:

Jimmy is an 11-year old boy who suffers from lymphoma.  His oncologist has indicated that without chemotherapy, he is likely to die within 6 months.  She has also indicated that in most cases, chemotherapy provides an effective cure in only 20 percent of cases like Jimmy’s; in most cases, chemotherapy produces at best an additional 3-6 month extension of life. 

Jimmy is also compromised by an incurable neurological disease.  This disease will eventually make it impossible for him to walk, talk or use his hands effectively.  Already, he speech is slurred and he cannot hold a pencil.  Even without lymphoma, the prognosis– because of the neurological disease– is death by the age of 18. 

Jimmy has been raised in a strong religious environment, and his belief in God has been an important comforting factor to him.  After having the facts fully explained to him, he has accepted his situation and the inevitability of his death at a young age.  He says he does not want the chemotherapy and that he is ready to “go to God.”  His parents, however, cannot reconcile themselves to losing Jimmy.  They want to override his decision/proceed with chemotherapy. 

Adopt 2-3 of these roles and develop a response to the case.  Include specific perspectives for each role you adopt:

- Administrator/CEO
- Physician
- Nurse
- Oncologist
- Social Worker
- Psychologist
- Clergy/Chaplain
- Community member
- Lawyer
- Ethicist
- Health Services Administration/Health Professions Undergraduate Student

I decided to adopt the roles of a nurse, physician, and a clergy/chaplain for this particular case.

Nurse: When I think about the nursing profession, I instantly think about the qualities/characteristics that encompasses that profession. Nurses are usually caring, compassionate, comforting, provide advocacy services, and the list is pretty much endless. In Jimmy’s case, the nurse can provide comfort for him and make sure his quality of life is good as he is dying. Although the situation is extremely sad, I think the nurse is strong enough to help Jimmy and his family transition and help comfort them during the end stage of his disease. The nurse can help the family understand why Jimmy is feeling that way and try to comfort them during their time of need.

Physician: As a physician, one has a lot of responsibilities (patient/medical) and patients/family look to them for answers as they are able to diagnose and treat diseases. In Jimmy’s case, I think the physician is able to reiterate Jimmy’s options but also advise the family that his wishes should be taken into consideration. The physician may feel as though respecting Jimmy’s wishes would be the best route to pick, ethically he may feel his parents requests to prolong his life his life has to be taken into account since Jimmy is a minor.  I think the physician can and should tell the parent’s that Jimmy’s quality of life is going to suffer tremendously has he has two active/detrimental diseases.

Clergy/Chaplain: The clergy or chaplain may be able to directly relate with Jimmy as his belief in God is directly impacting his decision to no longer seek treatment to prolong his life. Jimmy was raised in a strong religious environment and the clergy/chaplain will be able to address the family and help them understand life’s events as it relates to their spiritual and emotional well-being. The clergy/chaplain can comfort Jimmy and his family through prayer and reflection during this difficult time in life.  

Blog # 4

For BLOG #4, discuss how technological advances can challenge our ethics. Please read Chapter 8 and also review the associated Powerpoint before responding to this blog. On a personal level, how has the increased use of technology helped or hindered your health care experiences?

·         There are always going to be pros and cons associated with any presented situation. Technological advances have immensely helped our society; however, there are some cons that come along as well in turn challenging our ethics.

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·         For instance, IVF has been a huge technological advancement in the medical world that has helped/given women across the world the ability to have children. The presented case about the postmenopausal woman seeking IVF because she has made the decision to have children at that age has caused many medical professionals to question her desire. It is true that there are greater risks associated with the advance age, however, should anyone judge her simply because she is older than the average female trying to have children?

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·         The case about the 32 year old female carrier for Huntington's disease is another example of how far technology has taken us. The mere fact that technology/science has the ability to perform vitro fertilization and sort out the eggs that do not carry the defective gene is in essence, amazing. Some people question the ethics of this specific procedure because they wonder if it is ethically okay for a mother to have a child even though she knows she may one day have HD. Again, I pose this question, who are we to judge individuals for taking advantage of such offered technologies? I think it is completely up to the individual and their respective family/spouse to make that important decision in life.

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·         On a personal level, the increased use of technology has helped me have a speedier recovery after laparoscopic gallbladder removal. If I would have had the traditional surgery, it would have been an automatic 6 weeks out of work and I simply cannot afford that much time off. I also only have 4 tiny incision scars which will hopefully fade away with the use of vitamin E oil as opposed to one giant scar. The availability of the internet is extremely powerful and I personally struggle with this resource. I wouldn't know what to do without the ability to access the internet and at the same time it gives me grief because I Google every medical symptom I experience.

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·         So in essence, I personally believe the pros associated with technological advancements definitely outweigh the cons and I cannot wait to see how much further we can technologically advance.