Healthcare Professionals Encounter Ethical Decisions Essay

Healthcare professionals encounter ethical decisions every day in the deliverance of healthcare for individuals with diverse values living in a culturally disparate and pluralistic society. Bioethics and professionalism are some of the few indispensable pillars of quality medical care. It establishes the foundation of how healthcare providers should treat their patients; building a trusting relationship and putting the patients’ needs first. The four main bioethical principles include respect for autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice1. The principle of respect for autonomy is based on the ability of personal rule and freedom. Automony in the medical field refers to the ability of the patient to act intentionally, with understand, and without external restrictions that would diminish any free and voluntary act2. The notion of nonmaleficence can be summarized by the quote from Thomas Sydenham, â€Å"primum non nocere†: ‘above all, do no harm’3. Physicians are obligated to avoid doing any harm to their patients; this principle outweighs even the principle of respect for the patient’s autonomy in an incident where potential harm can occur1. The dogma of beneficence is the physician’s duty to strive to provide benefits to the patient as well as taking action to prevent or remove harm from the patient1, 5. One of the most common ethical quandaries in medicine revolves around the balance of nonmaleficience and beneficence; basically, the potential benefits of anyShow MoreRelatedMovie Review : Wit ( 2001 )1074 Words   |  5 Pagesdifficulties facing her impending death. As nurses, we will encounter such situations wherein we come across those patients who have been terminally ill and as nurses we need to guarantee that we can promote life and protect our patient’s interest. 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