Applying the Four Principles: Case Study

Applying the Four Principles: Case Study
Part 1: Chart (60 points)
Based on the “Healing and Autonomy” case study, fill out all the relevant boxes below. Provide the information by means of bullet
points or a well-structured paragraph in the box. Gather as much data as possible.
Medical Indications
Beneficence and Nonmaleficence
Patient Preferences
Autonomy
According to the principle of beneficence, healthcare
professionals are ought to do everything they can in every case
to benefit the individual. All prescribed treatments and
interventions must be designed to achieve the patient's health. To
maximize efficiency, medical practitioners will develop and
maintain a high level of know-how, insure that they have been
trained in the latest and best practice, and recognize the
individual situation of the patients (Garner, 2014). In the light of
Christianity, principle of beneficence applies to actions carried
out for the good of others. This requires acts of compassion,
goodness and the responsibility to do good and to stop evil. In
this case, the principle of beneficence is in conflict with the
principle of autonomy (Garner, 2014). The doctors must
immediately take action by carrying out dialysis followed by
other medical procedures, however the parents were restraining
them from doing so.
The most commonly known of the four principles is probably
non-maleficence. The theory is proposed to serve as the ultimate
goal for all actions of a physician. This ensures that healthcare
professionals have to evaluate whether an action can be
detrimental to others or to a community, although this is done
for the good of a particular patient. In this case, the physicians
should have taken decision adhering to this principle.
Autonomy in medicine is the patient's right to preserve his
body control. A healthcare provider can recommend advice or
otherwise violate this principle by trying to convince or force
the patient to make a choice (Cush, 2014). Ultimately, the
patient has to make his or her decision independently and in
accordance with his own personal values and beliefs–whether
or not the physician believes that these choices are in the
patient's best interest. In this case, the principle of autonomy is
in conflict with the principle of beneficence. According to the
principle of autonomy, the doctors must take decision
respecting autonomy of the patients and their family, thus, in
this case, the parents believed in God and had decided to not
continue the treatment following dialysis, instead pray and
believe God. The doctors have respected patient’s autonomy
that resulted in the deterioration of the patient and risked his
life.
Quality of Life Contextual Features
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Beneficence, Nonmaleficence, Autonomy Justice and Fairness
Quality of life relates to the physiological aspects of a patient's
life both before and after diagnosis. Until diagnosis, James '
health was worse, but his situation changed following
continuous dialysis. However, he requires a kidney transplant to
deal with his condition effectively and his father believes that his
brother ought to provide him the kidney or trust him. The
parents should first communicate with and seek James ' opinions
on the issue on the grounds of the previous meeting. The last
time they relied on their religion, James ' health became worse.
So they should be aware of his best interests to encourage his
brother to undergo a kidney transplant.
The legal, social and family background which affects the
medical decisions is defined by contextual features. James's
parents ' confidence that his health can be restored by prayer
affected their medical choices. They both focus on their belief
rather than on James needing his brother for a kidney
transplant. Justice and equality emphasize fairness. When the
perfect tissue match was found to be from his brother there
emerged a conflict of interest. The parents were therefore
prepared to authorize other people to donate a kidney to
James, but they were not prepared to do this to their child.
©2019. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.