Ethical Dilemma in Health and Social Care: A Case Study

SH5000 Assessment A

Ethical dilemma is an ethical issue that needs an individual to select from among two or
more morally acceptable options or between equally unacceptable courses of action such as one
choice can prevent selection of others. In simple word, ethical dilemma is a conflict between
what is righteous and what is profitable for the organisation. Conflicts takes place between
principles or values. For example, for any medical practitioner, there is an ethical dilemma
situation because according Mental Capacity Act, 2005; doctor must support patient to relive
him/her from painful life by assisting them to attempt death (Malek, Rahman and Hasan, 2018).
While medical order for life sustaining treatment stated that doctor should try to give such
treatment to the patient which can sustain their life for long time. In this report we will discuss
about professional ethical dilemma from health and social care with support of case study.
Further, the variety of stakeholders involved will also be discussed and conflicts in ethical
arguments will be discussed further. Lastly, the relevant laws and legislations will also be
discussed in detail in the report.
Overview of case study
The case study is based on ethical dilemma such as Katherine is an unmarried 40 year old
women who is suffering from Gullian- Barres syndrome, a painful neurological illness that
leaves her in paralysed situation for unpredictable length of time. However, lots of people have
recovered from the syndrome and lives their healthy life. Generally, Katherine has been
paralysed for 3 years and 10 months ago meanwhile period it was identified by doctor that she
was unlikely able to take breath and mover ever on her own again because her nerves and muscle
have damaged. But now she needs ventilator which help her breath (Golijanin, 2020). However,
her doctors have clearly mentioned to her and her parents in gentle manner. Last week, Mrs
Katherine requested to speak with doctor privately. She said to her that she does not want to live
anymore because she told her life held no value for herself if it meant being in continuous pain
and without the freedom to move or breath on her own. She told the doctor that she has discussed
with her family to remove ventilator and they have agreed on her wish. From the above case
study, it can be analysed that there is a big ethical dilemma for the doctor is to remove patient
from ventilator or not.
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Identify the ethical issues the dilemma raises
In Katherine’s case study, ethical dilemma is that Katherine is forced to take certain
actions due to circumstances like she unable to take breath on her own, cannot move etc. She is
bearing lots of pain due to medication that’s why has desire to death. But it is moral duty of
Katherine’s doctor to make her understand that it is not good decision. This is because of the
grave consequences that are associated with her actions that will be harmful in the longer run.
But it is moral duty of the doctor to be fair to patients about their health issues (Je, Park and
Bang, 2020). Katherine was right that there is no meaning of life because she cannot take breath
on her own and have to stand high level pain. So, it is a right of patient that they can stop their
life if they do not have any wish to live more. Living in a free country with adequate laws and
regulations giving an individual right to take their own decisions automatically makes them
entitled to take any steps that they deem appropriate. While doctor also knew that Katherine
cannot live for long time and ventilator is the reason only which helps her breath (Kennedy and
et.al., 2009). According to Katherine situation, it is a moral duty of doctor to understand patient’s
situation and give her mercy death. Patients also have right to take own decisions. But according
to government norm’s doctors do not have any right to give mercy death to the patient. It is a
duty of doctor to stay live patient’s till then can’t (Ahenkan, Afari and Buabeng, 2018). Second,
patient’s also do not have right to stop their life expectancy. Thus, both situations are right own
their places. So, this situation is known as ethical dilemma.
This professional ethical dilemma raises various ethical issues for the doctor such as if
patient is too much requesting to doctor to stop her/his life then it is ethical duty of doctor to
support her and make her free from painful life. This is because they have moral responsibilities
towards the patients where it is their duty to take those decisions which focus on the wellbeing of
their patients. But ethical issue for the doctor is that code of ethics do not allow doctor to so
something like this. But to remove patient from ventilator is not allowed to the doctor because
this practice is opposing code of conduct (Miller and et.al., 2019). The reason behind is that, if a
patient is taking breath with the support of ventilator and it removes that means, it is too painful
death of patient. This type mercy death does not allow doctor to give the patient. In Katherine’s
case study it is a biggest ethical issue for the doctor. Another ethical issue is type of conversation
like want type communication has doctor with the patient for example Kathrine wanted to speak
with the doctor privately to share her feeling. It denotes that, there was good communication of
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