The concepts of moral objectivism and ethical relativism revolve around the ethical nature of activities, behaviors, and experiences that resonate with individual cultures and commonly accepted doctrines. Vaughn (2016, p.13) emphasizes the subject of ethical relativism, which supports moral principles and behaviors that align with individual cultures, norms, and beliefs. However, it is notable that moral objectivism is more rational compared to ethical relativism, especially when she analyzes the use of reproduction technology in the 21st century. In a case scenario, Vaughn mentions that certain people and cultures accept the use of Vitro fertilization (IVF) to implant embryos in a woman’s womb artificially (Vaughn, 2016, p.429). However, the complications and the ethics may be less acceptable to logic. The rational objectives include IVF is unnatural, illicit and risky for the offspring (Vaughn, 2016, p.429). Therefore, with the severe negative consequences, ethical relativism appears irrational and unethical.
According to Vaughin (2016, p.10), the principle of beneficence obliges health professionals to actively promote care practices that benefit patients and other people seeking health attention. On the other hand, the principle of autonomy obliges health professionals to consider a person’s rational capacity for self-determination. The principle commands that autonomous persons should have the capacity to make decisions for their own lives. However, it is unfortunate that beneficence and autonomy clash at times in different scenarios. For example, when drug addicts visit a rehabilitation center, clinical directors forcefully introduce the medication to the drug addicts, especially among those on the verge of death due to excessive substance abuse.
Short Reflection
Reading the article, Is it Ever OK to Lie to Patients by Shelly K. Schwartz was an exciting and reflective experience. The article provides a comprehensive overview of key ethical practices in healthcare settings. It integrates intriguing scenarios that require personal judgment for justification. Most importantly, it addresses truth-telling as a fundamental objective for healthcare professionals, especially when disclosing diagnosis and prognosis results. I also believe it is necessary and ethical to disclose diagnosis results to patients in the early and late stages of hospitalization.
When I reflect on the article, the first thing that stands out is the subject of truth-telling when diagnosis results in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Schwartz mentions that under certain circumstances, physicians are obliged to violate their relationship with patients by disclosing their health status to the surrogate and interested parties (Schwartz, 2010). She also highlights that in families with hospitalized parents, older children demand physicians to spare their keen by withholding grim diagnoses from them (Schwartz, 2010). In my opinion, patient personalities and health conditions influence the three scenarios above. I believe physicians can exacerbate patient illness if they disclose their actual diagnosis results. Nevertheless, understanding patient personalities through a physician’s relationship is necessary to address this dilemma.
The benefits of truth-telling when disclosing grim diagnoses to critically ill patients are also notable in the article. For example, Schwartz points out that disclosure enables patients to create a will that makes their wishes known to their family members (Schwartz, 2010). She also cites a 2008 study involving 332 terminally ill patients and their caregivers. In this study, it was notable that terminally ill patients involved in end-of-life discussions were more psychologically stable than those who had no end-of-life discussions with their doctors. They were not sadder, more worried, or depressed (Schwartz, 2010). Nevertheless, with this information, it is justifiable that physicians never intend to exacerbate patient conditions by letting them know their health status. I also believe it is essential and ethical to disclose grim diagnoses to obtain patient views and opinions on the available treatment plans.
References
Schwartz, S. K. (2010). Is it ever OK to lie to patients? Physicians Practice. https://www.physicianspractice.com/view/it-ever-ok-lie-patients
Vaughn, L. (2016). Bioethics: Principles, issues, and cases (p. 832). New York: Oxford University Press.
write