Ethics in Current Events

Ethics in Current Events

Ethics is “the dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation” (Ethics, 2022). Ethical and moral dilemmas go hand in hand and are all around us. In thinking about current events, what comes to the forefront revolves around the COVID-19 pandemic. Reverting to my current career in nursing, we are dealing with ethical situations daily. As an ICU nurse, the ethical dilemmas regarding how to currently care for patients is a hot topic of discussion, causing moral injury for many nurses. According to HealthLeaders, there are four ethical dilemmas that healthcare workers are currently dealing with: 1) Treatment, 2) Testing, 3) Healthcare workers themselves, and 4) Vaccines (2021). Treatment of the current COVID-19 patient is sometimes frustrating and limited. Many hospitals have had to ration critical care beds and even ventilators during the peak times of this pandemic. Many also didn’t have enough supplies, including personal protection equipment, to keep healthcare workers safe. That also raised an ethical issue regarding whether the nurse was obligated to care for these patients without the proper equipment and necessary supplies. As a nurse, our moral obligation is to care for everyone equally. When we cannot give our all or don’t have the needed supplies to care for these patients, this causes moral injury and even PTSD for many healthcare workers, including nurses and physicians.

According to Čartolovni et al., “nurses had witnessed these difficult ethical situations when faced with unnecessary patient suffering and a feeling of not doing enough (2021).

The vaccine mandate brings out additional ethical issues not just relating to the healthcare sector but also many businesses around the world. Most recently, the Carhartt Company announced that they would be required to receive the vaccine to their company. Ethical considerations or dilemmas regarding the vaccine involve the individual’s autonomy and the feeling of coercion. Many individuals were put in a place to choose to receive the vaccine or lose their jobs. Countless feel that the forced vaccine mandates have taken away the freedom that US citizens have earned and fought for over time (The ACR Committee on Ethics & Conflict of Interest, 2022). Conversely, some may feel the vaccine mandate would serve public health and reduce morbidity and mortality.

This can be because you have been personally affected or you have been subject to what you feel is accurate, informed information.

It is hard to state the prevention of any of these dilemmas. But I think that because these issues are so publicized and politicized, it makes it hard for anyone, individuals or businesses, to be in the right. Research is key to making an informed decision on this subject, especially involving the vaccine. Investigation on both sides of the aisle will be key for deciding anything related to the COVID-19 pandemic or vaccine mandate. Dealing with ethical dilemmas in healthcare can be hard, but physicians and nurses always try to do what is best for the patient and family. As James 1:5 states, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (NIV).

References

 Čartolovni, A., Stolt, M., Scott, P. A., & Suhonen, R. (2021). Moral injury in healthcare professionals: A scoping review and discussion. Nursing ethics, 28(5), 590–602. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733020966776

Ethic. (2022). The Merriam-Webster.Com Dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethic

HealthLeaders. (2021). 4 Ethical Dilemmas for Healthcare Organizations During the COVID-19 Pandemic. HealthLeaders Media. https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/clinical-care/4-ethical-dilemmas-healthcare-organizations-during-covid-19-pandemic

The ACR Committee on Ethics & Conflict of Interest. (2022). The Ethics of Vaccine Mandates. The Rheumatologist. https://www.the-rheumatologist.org/article/the-ethics-of-vaccine-mandates/

The Holy Bible: New international version. (2011). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

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Post a thread of at least 600 words (content, not including references). The analysis must be supported by at least two scholarly sources besides the course textbook and provided materials. Each source must be cited in the current APA format. Each thread and each reply must include full citations in a reference list at the end of each post and short-form in-text citations.

Ethics in Current Events

Acceptable sources include books, legal and business journals, legal cases, the law (cases, statutes, regulations, etc.), the Bible, biblical commentary, etc. Dictionaries and other web sources that lack scholarly support are not acceptable. Any sources cited must be current to the issue (e.g., Bible commentaries may be applicable from any age, but articles discussing current legal practices may no longer be relevant after 2 or 5 years).

A well-developed, complete worldview analysis of the situation requires more than simply adding a Bible verse at the end of the post. Each thread and each reply must include at least 1 verse from Scripture, quoted and applied as an integral part of the discussion of the applicable issues in the context of a Biblical worldview.

For this discussion, identify a news story published within the 30 days preceding the due date of this discussion that describes such a breach of business ethics. You may find these through a web search, library research, professional journals, professional association websites, newspapers, etc.

In your initial post:

• Briefly explain the situation and the parties involved.
• Identify your ethical standard and the issue(s) that violates that standard.
• Explain how you would have prevented this situation and would now respond, including support from a second source.