Ethical Dilemma Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethical Dilemma Assignment - Essay Example Ethical decisions may present themselves that can run the risk of ruining a career or creating a poor patient outcome. These decisions must be made carefully and thoughtfully, and with introspection and deliberation. Making the ethical decision is a process of self-reflection and personal integrity. This paper will define an ethical dilemma and explore the decision making process used to arrive at a decision where all the options have significant consequences. As a health care worker, friends occasionally confront me that need medical care and require a prescription drug. They will occasionally request that I write the prescription without seeing the patient, which is in violation of common medical ethics and sound medical practice. They may additionally ask me to write the prescription for a third party that has insurance in an effort to eliminate the cost of the drug. In addition to violating medical ethics, this also has the legal liability of being against the law. Adding to the ethical dilemma is the reality that they often do not have the money for their expensive medications, and using someone else's insurance may be the only option they have to acquire them. I am also familiar with their case and know the patients, and they perceive the demand to see them in the office as simply 'medical over-kill'. These factors impact my decision making process, as I am empathetic to their financial needs and sympathize with their feelings regar ding the office visit. I need to make a decision that will consider my friends and our relationship, their physical and emotional health, as well as my career and personal integrity. There are myriad sides to this dilemma and numerous aspects that need to be evaluated. I need to weigh the importance, and definition, of our friendship and how that might be impacted by my refusal to comply with their requests. I also need to examine the fact that I might be able to significantly help these people by doing a minimum amount of harm. The professional ethical guidelines that I uphold have a high value to me, and violating them reduces my own sense of self-worth. In addition, I could risk losing my license, my practice, my career, and my livelihood. I need to be sure that these risks are real, and not simply defense mechanisms that I am using to deny my friends' requests. These are the factors that need to be weighed into a reasonable and balanced decision that I can live with. The decision making process begins by defining the dilemma and ends with taking action. The process also includes consulting professional guidelines, considering all the options that are available, consulting colleagues, and evaluating the potential outcome of each alternative (Koocher & Keith-Spiegel, 2008, pp. 22-23). Every decision we make has consequences and when making a decision we need to be able to accept and endure the cost of that decision. I believe in the theory of virtue in regards to ethics and believe that our actions should adhere to the principle that "what is ethical is what develops moral virtues in ourselves and our communities" (Velasquez, Andre, Shanks, Meyer & Meyer, 2008). Unlike the utilitarian, I don't compare the potential good against the possible harm and see which outweighs the other. I simply must see if my actions develop my sense of moral virtue. I