Biomedical Ethics Week 3 student responses 1,2,3

1. Jessi Crowell   Re: Topic 3 DQ 1

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The four principles discussed in Biomedical Ethics in the Christian Narrative are all very important when determining how to address a biomedical ethics topic.  As a nurse, I would rate these principles in importance from my nursing view. 

1.) Beneficence requires that one prevents harm to others, provides benefits, and balances those benefits against risks and costs (Hoehner, n.d.).  I would find this principle to be ranked at the top because from my nursing view, our specific purpose is to prevent harm while providing care to our patients.

2.) Justice requires the fair distribution of benefits, risks, and costs to a general population (Hoehner, n.d.).  As nurses, we are trained in treating all of our patients equally and fairly with no one considered more deserving than another.  We care for the homeless all the way to the President, and justice to me is very important in nursing practice. 

3.) Nonmaleficence requires one not to cause harm to another (Hoehner, n.d.).  Causing intentional harm to others is directly against my beliefs.  Nurses are there to help and assist their patients, with no intention of causing harm.  We fight for our patients through advocating which is a core for nursing care standards.  

4.) Respect for autonomy requires respect for the decisions made by autonomous persons (Hoehner, n.d.).  As nurses, we are trained to respect our patients and the decisions made by them.  We can although help to educate on choices and options available to work towards the best outcome possible, but at the end of the day it is up to the patient to decide what is best for them.  It would be unethical to not factor in their wants just because it may provide for a better outcome.  

After reading the study materials for this assignment, I noticed more so how all four principles interact when dealing with a biomedical issue or topic.  What I could determine from the readings is that in Christian biblical narrative the principles would be ranked by autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice.  All are considered important in Christian worldview, but that is how I understood the Christian context of these principles to be.

MY RESPONSE:

0. Yemisi Abolarinde  Re: Topic 3 DQ 1

All four principles should be given equal importance due to their essential contribution to clinical decision making. However, if a ranking order is set, the non-maleficence value emerges at the top. It is because it meets the end objective of caregivers, not causing harm to others. The ethical significance of beneficence comes second since it is based on the notion that health practitioners should provide the utmost benefit to patients and balance them against risks and costs (Hoehner, 2018). Thirdly, justice is another essential aspect of biomedical ethics since it requires a sense of fairness in all medical practices. The decisions, actions, and distribution of resources by healthcare providers in a hospital should be fair. Lastly, autonomy is the lowest-ranked among the principles since decisions made by patients regarding their health are not always beneficial. Patients often lack the expertise or knowledge to apply in clinical decision-making; thus, it trumps other principles if given full autonomy. Nonetheless, caregivers are ethically required to respect client autonomy and decisions based on their beliefs.

In the Christian biblical narrative, the four principles of biomedical ethics should be similarly ranked to my perspective. Non-maleficence could be given higher significance, followed by beneficence, justice and autonomy would still be the least in the rank. The Christian Bible concept is based on the aspect of value that human beings share before the Lord; hence, no harm should be posed upon people. Beneficence is the second since the bible commands humans to be kind to others since it is pleasing to God, according to Hebrews 13:16. Thirdly, justice is also essential since, before the eyes of the Lord, everyone is equal and needs to be treated somewhat based on Act 20:34 (The Holy Bible, 2014). Autonomy is ranked last since, in the bible, people are granted independence and free will, but it must be committed to the Lord, according to Proverbs 16:13.

MY RESPONSE:

0. Mandy Fletcher   Re: Topic 3 DQ 1

Bioethicists often refer to the four basic principles of health care ethics when evaluating the merits and difficulties of medical procedures. Ideally, for a medical practice to be considered "ethical", it must respect all four of these principles: autonomy, justice, beneficence, and non-maleficence (Sandford, 2019). This code of ethics is utilized by healthcare professional to provide the most compassionate, safe, and honest care to patients.

I would rank the four principles as follows.

Non-Maleficence: is the principle of refraining from causing unnecessary harm. Although some of the interventions that patients receive might cause pain or some harm, nonmaleficence refers to the moral justification behind why the harm is caused. Sometimes harm may be caused to a patient to prevent them from further harm. If the act is for a greater good for the patient and is not meant to deliberately harm them, it is justifiable (ANA, 2015)

Beneficence: The principle of “doing good” and has been suggested as having four distinct parts. These include not to inflict evil or harm, to prevent harm, to remove evil or harm, and to promote good (ANA, 2015)

Justice: Justice is the principle that governs social fairness. It involves determining whether someone should receive or is entitled to receive a resource. The Code of Ethics for Nurses (ANA, 2015)

Autonomy: This principle is described as an agreement to respect another’s right to self-determine a course of action and to support another’s independent decision making (ANA, 2015).

As a professional nurse, Non-Maleficence is the most important principle. Our primary goal is to keep the patient safe and free of harm.

MY RESPONSE: