Ethical dilemmas in healthcare
NURS 491 - Nursing Management (D)
Liberty University
Name
2022
Ethical dilemmas in healthcare are situations that call for a decision between two questionable options.
Healthcare professionals are often in situations that require careful consideration of several factors
before making a decision. These situations can be challenging, and usually, someone’s life or health
depends on what decisions are made.
Nursing enthusiasts who aim to do better at their jobs need these qualities to handle everyday health
situations. If you’ve earned your degree and have a enough experience in the field, you can pursue
a post-master’s DNP online to gain advanced knowledge through up to 1,000 practical clinical hours.
This will help you understand the techniques to provide adequate care for patients.
You must understand that you’ll often combat ethical dilemmas in the medical practice, and while it may
be legally permissible to take certain actions, there may be questions regarding ethics. You must
therefore invest time and energy into researching and understanding the potential impacts of your
decisions on patients and colleagues. In this article, we will discuss strategies for actively managing
ethical dilemmas in the healthcare industry.
Strategies used to manage ethical dilemmas in healthcare
These strategies are a guide to ensuring that healthcare providers make ethical decisions that prioritize
the wellbeing of their patients, while upholding the highest standards of professionalism.
Understand the problem
Every patient is armed with beliefs and doctrines that might affect your job as a healthcare practitioner.
A patient might refuse blood transfusion because their religion is firmly against it, while another might
sign a DNR form even when you know that you can save them. This uniqueness is what makes the world
of ethical dilemmas in healthcare different. You should see from your patient’s eyes and understand
their viewpoint. You should also be open to advice from professionals in addressing their health
concerns.
Use a formal ethical decision-making model
Many healthcare organizations provide their practitioners with a formal process for addressing ethical
dilemmas. This may involve consulting with an ethics committee, using a standardized framework for
ethical decision-making, or seeking guidance from relevant ethical codes or principles. You can use these
models as precedent cases to understand how the healthcare system has handled cases such as yours
and the best approach to take.
Consult with experts
You might not find what you need in ethical books. In that case, consulting experts are great
alternatives. You can seek guidance from an expert in ethics or a related field to help you understand
and make decisions about situations. This can include consulting with ethicists, legal advisors or
professional organizations.
Talk to your colleagues
Your colleagues may have experienced similar situations, which might give you an insight into the best
way to solve the dilemma with care and accuracy. Seeking advice from your colleagues will provide
valuable perspectives that you didn’t consider and help identify potential solutions.
Prioritize the wellbeing of your patients
You should always put your patients first when making ethical decisions. These decisions usually have a
direct influence on the mental wellbeing of your patients. It’s important to consider the potential
benefits and risks of different courses of action and to choose the option that will lead to the best
outcome for your patient.
Conclusion
One important principle in ethical decision-making is respecting the rights and autonomy of patients.
This means prioritizing their wishes and preferences and involving them in their care and treatment
processes. By following this principle, you can effectively manage ethical dilemmas and ensure that your
patients are at the center of their own healthcare decisions.
