Case Study – Ethical Decisions in Health Care

Case Study – Ethical Decisions in Health Care

The Dilemma

A doctor finds himself in a legal altercation with Christian parents who work as scientists. The scientists’ six-year-old son develops fever and convulsions while at school. The doctor diagnoses meningitis and advises the couple that their son should start treatment immediately. However, the couple insists that the boy should not receive any treatment. However, the doctor initiates the boy’s treatment. This angers the parents, and they sue both the doctor and the facility. The ethical dilemma, in this case, arises as the minor’s parents choose to deny treatment despite the critical condition. At the same time, the doctor defies the direction due to their oath to protect life. Our assignment writing services will allow you to attend to more important tasks as our experts handle your task.

Uustal’s ethical decision-making model highlights the need to identify individuals who are involved in a dilemma as the initial step. Their relation to the issue enables a proper statement of the problem. The second step is to compare the situation with personal values and ethical beliefs. This should assess their congruence or lack thereof (Uustal, 1990). Thirdly, one should consider factors that are related to the situation to come up with an alternative for dilemma resolution. Fourthly, all alternatives should be categorized and examined. This process identifies those that are congruent with the individual’s values. Suppose the most favourable solution is inconsistent; a different healthcare provider can handle the case to preserve the dignity of one individual. Fifthly, after identifying all possible alternatives, it is important to predict the likely outcomes in the long and short term. Sixth, the prioritization of alternatives follows, as one lists these as most to least acceptable. This is followed by a plan of action that utilizes the acceptable alternatives. Finally, implementation and evaluation of the action plan end the process (White, 2011).

Stakeholders’ Perspectives

The six-year-old boy is a minor and expects his parents to take care of his health needs by seeking professional assistance. During this time, the boy must have experienced pain and discomfort due to the illness. The boy may not understand the parents’ refusal for treatment. However, he expects that the doctor should make him better. The parent has an obligation to take care of the boy’s needs. At the same time, they believe that they should subject their children to their religious beliefs, which may forbid treatment. They also expect that doctors and other healthcare providers should submit to their demands and wishes at all times. Therefore, they expect the doctor and hospital to receive legal penalties for defying their wish.

The physician knows that he has an obligation to ensure that patients become better. The oath to preserve life is critical in the physician’s job. However, he needs to respect the wishes of patients and can only administer treatment once they agree. This implies that the doctor cannot force a patient to receive such treatment if it goes against their beliefs. The physicians and other healthcare workers enable the hospital. The patients’ rights and beliefs limit their responsibilities. The administrator may look out for patients’ needs and welfare alongside physicians and other healthcare workers. The patients’ wishes still limit their capability to serve and ensure that patients’ welfares are addressed (Classen & Kilbridge, 2002).

Attorneys expect healthcare providers to observe their limits when offering care to avoid litigations that affect the facilities. The patient’s attorney would highlight the situation as a violation of the patient’s wishes and autonomy. The facility’s attorney may highlight the physician’s desire to preserve life, considering the boy’s critical condition and possible demise if left untreated.

Conflicting values and principles

Religious beliefs that parents possess conflict with the doctor’s obligation to preserve life and do well. Some of the religious beliefs prohibit any treatment for the 6-year-old. However, the doctor is obligated to do well through life preservation. This credo can only be actualized by offering treatment to the critically ill boy. The parents’ beliefs and wishes override the doctor’s ability to assist, creating an ethical dilemma.

Preservation of life is a critical aspect of the profession of a physician (Classen & Kilbridge, 2002). However, they are obliged to respect the patient’s wishes and autonomy as far as treatment goes. However, having to accept that the young boy can die of meningitis because the parents have decided to deny treatment is heart-wrenching. This introduces a complex conflict for the healthcare workers who are determined to save lives.

Solution

As a hospital administrator, I would first seek to understand the reasons that cause the parents to deny their son treatment. The parents who are scientists should be aware of the significance that medical interventions play in improving people’s health. It could be the facility or doctor that may have led to such an unusual decision. Besides, they should also understand the critical condition of their son and the likelihood of his demise due to the condition. Suppose they do not believe that the boy has meningitis, I would refer them to a different facility to obtain a diagnosis. At the same time, I would encourage them to ensure about the various interventions in the facility.

In case this fails, I would invite the parents to explore the available treatment options that I know of and those that they may have heard from others. The denial of treatment may occur due to stereotypes that are obtained from their conversations with other parents (White, 2011). Understanding this will enable the demystification of stereotypes and the provision of facts from various studies. I will also shed light on their treatment options as we narrow down the most effective intervention. In addition, it is important to take the parents through the stages of meningitis. This should reveal the stages into which their son will deteriorate. I would also share the facility’s statistics regarding the treatment and management of meningitis. Eventually, the facility would request the parents to allow the physicians to initiate treatment. If the boy does not get well, then the facility would be ready to pay for damages as ordered by a judge. This approach is intended to allow the parents to either drop the litigation or cease its initiation until the health of their child is restored or otherwise. I do not expect any parent who cares and loves their child to consciously watch them as they suffer while they can ease or eliminate the suffering significantly.

References

Classen, D. C., & Kilbridge, P. M. (2002). The Roles and Responsibility of Physicians to Improve Patient Safety within Health Care Delivery Systems. Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 77(10), 963-972.

Uustal, D. B. (1990). Enhancing your ethical reasoning. Crit Care Nurs Clin North Am., 2(3), 437-442.

White, S. V. (2011). Diann B. Uustal on Excellence in Ethics and Quality in Care. Journal for Healthcare Quality, 23(5).

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Case Study – Ethical Decisions in Health Care

Your healthcare team is presented with the following case:

A 6-year-old develops a high fever accompanied by violent vomiting and convulsions while at school. The child is rushed to a nearby hospital. The attending physician makes a diagnosis of meningitis and requests permission from the parents to initiate treatment. Both parents are Christian Scientists, and they insist that no medical treatment be given to the child. The physician initiates treatment anyway, and the parents later sue the physician and the hospital.
In a formal, written paper of 1,250-1,500 words, provide the following: 1. Explain the ethical dilemma portrayed in this case and how Uustal’s “Ethical Decision-Making Model” can assist in navigating the situation. 2. Describe the perspectives, needs, and expectations of each of the following healthcare stakeholders: (a) child, (b) parent, (c) physician, (d) healthcare staff, (e) hospital, (f) administrator, and (g) attorney.
3. Summarize potentially conflicting values and principles that exist in this case based upon ethical theories and principles you have learned in this
course.
4. Assuming the role of the hospital administrator, provide a solution to resolve the identified ethical dilemma in this case.
Include at least three scholarly, peer-reviewed references from the GCU Library to support your positions.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.