Case Study Sample on Ethical Decision-Making: Models to Guide Critical Thinking

Introduction

The ethical decision-making model is a system that provides a mechanism for panning and critical thinking mainly for ethical dilemmas. Primarily, an ethical decision-making model is a tool that is used by healthcare providers to help them to develop the ability to think through ethical dilemmas and develop an ethical decision (Reddy & Mythri, 2016). There are several ethical models that have been developed, most of which are similar in content and design. The main aim of each model is to provide a framework for making the best decision in a specific situation from which the health care provider is comfortable with (Newnham & Kirkham 2019). Moreover, most models are based on principle-based reasoning, which comes from the works of philosophers Childress and Beauchamp (Reddy & Mythri, 2016). The models mainly consider values, obligations, and ethical principles. Most of the models incorporate four, five, six, or seven steps for resolving dilemmas, but they all support reasoning through the structure of decision model in a large clinical setting, dentally-related advocacy organizations, or in solo private practice.

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Summary of the Case Study Facts

The case study chosen for analysis is for ethical dilemma or ethical decision-making model. E. L. Straight I a director at Hopewell Hospital, an organization that provides average care to its patients. The organizations have developed new programs that seem to have impacted on the quality of service offered. Dr. Cutrite serves in the facility and has served in the organization more than anyone. He used to be a brilliant surgeon, but he has slipped mentally and physically—straight thinking of reducing his privileges. During surgery, Dr. Cutrite might have left a plastic needle in a patient's belly, Mrs. Jameson. Mrs. Jameson has left the facility so he cannot be operated to remove the needle. Dr. Cutrite claims that the needle cannot hurt her except for little discomfort. Furthermore, she will never know if it was there.

Components of Ethical Decision-Making Model

Moral Awareness

The moral awareness in the case study is that Straight ought to have noticed the delimiting mental and physical health of Dr. Cutrite early enough and stopped him from practicing. This would have avoided such an incident involving Mrs. Jameson.

Moral Judgment

Straight and the organization should make the right call of stopping Dr. Cutrite from practicing and recall Mrs. Jameson for surgery to remove the needle. Straight should call Mrs. Jameson back to the organization to remove the plastic needle.

Ethical Behavior

The organization ought to perform ethically and inform Mrs. Jameson that there might be a needle in her belly, and she should come back to the organization for surgery to remove the needle.

The factors that to the ethical issue in the case study include the detreating mental and physical health of Dr. Cutrite. The organization lacked proper checks and balances for each surgical procedure. Dr. Cutrite, poor mental and physical health meant that he was not fit to perform the surgery.

Effectiveness of the Communication Approaches Present in the Case Study

Communication is an essential part of any part of organizational practice. Had Straight made is decision early enough to reduce the responsibilities assigned to Dr. Cutrite early enough, he would have avoided such an incident (Adhikari et al., 2016). Moreover, he ought to have listened to the chief complaints by the other nurses and physicians in the organization. This would have helped to make a judgmental call to relieving Dr. Cutrite his duties.

Primarily, Straight is aware that Dr. Cutrite is not performing at his level best due to his poor mental and physical healthcare. Having performed and surgery and leaving the plastic needle in Mrs. Jameson's belly Straight is aware that he needs to make the right call both morally and ethically. He has to maintain open communication with Dr. Cutrite and other professionals involved in the case in order to make an ethical decision for Mrs. Jameson. Although the professional might be of a different view about the next step regarding the issue at hand, it is essential that the outcome brings justice to Mrs. Jameson.

When the operating supervisors appear in Straight, he is not coming with good news. He explains to Straight the mistake that Dr. Cutrite might have done and the evidence he has. The nurse who was with Dr. Cutrite in the operating room confesses that the missing needle missing from the safeguards count was used in the surgery. This gets Straight worried, and he immediately instructs that Mrs. Jameson being referred to the operating room to remove the needle by she has already left the facility.

O the other hand, Dr. Cutrite is not of the opinion of telling Mrs. Jameson that there might be a needle in her belly. He argues that the needle will not harm her except for the little discomfort she might experience. Furthermore, she will never know if it is there. Although the chief reluctantly agreed with Dr. Cutrite's opinion, he says no one never knows.

The communication approaches that should be used include informative communication, educative communication, and persuasive communication. These communication approaches promote positive attitudes and behaviors that encourage individuals to accept new ideas. The communication that should be avoided includes mass communication and verbal communication.

Using practical communication approaches ensures that there is a lesser possibility of misunderstanding, allows the members to work together effectively, helps build relationships with people, and enables and individuals to build his or her self-esteem. Ineffective communication approaches create communication barriers resulting in disruption. The information that is being passed might not be understood by the recipient.

Effectiveness of The Approach Used by A Professional to Deal with Problems or Issues Involving Ethical Practice in A Case Study

The decision taken by the individuals in the case study is not ethical. They decided not to tell Mrs. Jameson that there was a plastic needle in her belly. Furthermore, Dr. Cutrite is not relieved of his duties, meaning that a similar action might occur in the future. Mrs. Jameson ought to have been told on the plastic needle in her belly.

The issue was bought to the professional. However, the issue was not solved to the fullest. This is because the plastic needle was not removed from Mrs. Jameson's belly. It is essential to ensure that nurses and other healthcare professionals are in their right states of mind, both mentally and physically, to make sure that they provide quality healthcare services.

Apply Ethical Principles to A Possible Solution to An Ethical Problem

The proposed solution would be to call Mrs. Jameson back to the facility and explain to her what might have happened. The organization should perform the surgery and remove the plastic needle if it is in her belly. The cost should be covered by the organization. Secondly, Dr. Cutrite should be relieved of his duties to prevent any such future act from happening.

The ethical principles are autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. The ethical dilemma that Straight faces involve all the principles of ethics. The patient, Mrs. Jameson, is denied the right to retain control over her body conflicting with the principle of autonomy (Adhikari et al., 2016). The principle of beneficence states that healthcare individuals should do all they can to benefit the patients. Mrs. Jameson, in this case, she is denied safety by the plastic needle in her belly. Non-maleficence principle argues that no harm should come to the patient (Reddy & Mythri, 2016). In the case study, Mrs. Jameson is subjected to harm by the needle in her belly. Lastly, the principle of justice states that there should be an element of fairness in all medical decisions (Newnham & Kirkham 2019). The individuals make that decision not to tell Mrs. Jameson on the plastic in her belly, meaning that there was no fairness.

Conclusion

Dr. Cutrite was not both mentally and physically stable to perform Mrs. Jameson's surgery. The four principles used in analyzing the case study included autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice.

References

Adhikari, S., Paudel, K., Aro, A. R., Adhikari, T. B., Adhikari, B., & Mishra, S. R. (2016). Knowledge, attitude and practice of healthcare ethics among resident doctors and ward nurses from a resource poor setting, Nepal. BMC medical ethics, 17(1), 68.

Newnham, E., & Kirkham, M. (2019). Beyond autonomy: Care ethics for midwifery and the humanization of birth. Nursing ethics, 26(7-8), 2147-2157.

Reddy, M. S., & Mythri, S. V. (2016). Health-care ethics and the free market value system. Indian journal of psychological medicine, 38(5), 371.