Counseling Ethics: A Case Study of Dr. Susan Lim and the Brunei Family

Running head: COUNSELLING ETHICS
COUNSELLING ETHICS
Name of the Student:
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1COUNSELING ETHICS
Introduction
Ethics in counseling, serve as standards and guideline which aim to dictate the need for
moral considerations, by professionals practicing their respective fields of expertise. As stated by
Har and Jusoh (2015), ‘Counseling Ethics’ imply the usage of ethical standards for the provision
of guidance in order to enhance the quality of teaching disseminated to counselors, the quality of
services exhibited by them as well as enhancement of the quality of duty, counselors are
responsible for, during handling of their clients. As opined by Trahan and Lemberger (2014),
counseling ethics can also be defined as a set of standards which aim to state the guidelines of
conduct, which ought to adhered to, by professionals. As researched by Sivis-Cetinkaya (2015),
counseling ethics can be defined as standards which dictate the structure of services disseminated
by counselors and the provision of boundaries in duties and description of professionalism. The
emerging importance of professionalism and provision of humanitarian services, has necessitated
the need for professionals to adhere to legal and ethical consideration during their provision of
services to the client (David, 2015).
The following report discusses the case of Dr. Susan Lim and her association with the Brunei
family. In this report, I will work in favor of Dr. Susan Lim and defend her in her situation of
ethical and moral dilemma. The usage of moral theories aims to justify and reason the underlying
causes of actions and their state of righteousness. Hence, for the purpose of defending Dr. Lim,
the moral theories of teleology and normative realism have been utilized to justify her moral
dilemma, along with an eight step ethical model, for the purpose of her case management.

2COUNSELING ETHICS
Case Study
Dr. Susan Lim irecognition as a surgeon high skill, was acquired during her successful
conduction of one of the first liver transplantations in Singapore. Her situation of ethical
dilemma and associated conflict emerged upon the death of the younger sister of the Queen of
Brunei, Pengiran Anak Hajah Damit (Khalik, 2014). The patient belonging to this royal family
was receiving treatment for breast cancer since the year 2001 and succumbed to her condition in
the year 2007. The conflict arose when it was uncovered that Dr. Lim charged a medical bill of £
12 million, which was extremely expensive in comparison to the standard salary. During 2012,
the Singapore Medical Council found her guilty for overpricing and manipulating medical
expenses of the patient, resulting in her violation of professional ethical behavior (Glanfield,
2016). It is however worthwhile to mention that Dr. Susan Lim provided services of high quality
to the Brunei family, acquiring help from various individuals of expertise, in accordance to the
best of her abilities and professional information. The situation further escalated to alarming
levels, when Dr. Lim engaged in writing a letter to George Yeo, Singapore’s foreign minister,
stating that she may be compelled to leak confidential information about Brunei’s royal family
and the patient, if the legal proceedings did not reach a conclusion, which will not only shame
the royal family but will also severely hinder Brunei’s and Singapore’s cordial relationship (The
Independent, 2016).
Moral Dilemma
As stated by Lamiani, Borghi and Argentero (2017), moral and ethical dilemma
highlights a conflict where an individual must undertake a decision, which he or she assumes
would yield the best outcomes after assessment of several alternative outcomes, which may
however, hinder moral and ethical considerations. The profession of medical and clinical practice

3COUNSELING ETHICS
is not devoid of such dilemma and often practitioners are faced with such conflict, which is
justified considering the resultant positive health outcome which they are providing.
In the case of Dr. Susan Lim, a key moral dilemma is her overpricing and distortion of
medical bills, which goes against the ethics of her professional conduct. The other moral
dilemma which I could identify as her counselor, was her threat to release confidential patient
information of the royal family, in an attempt to save herself legally, which violates the ethical
considerations of patient privacy, confidentiality and unanimity.
Moral Theory: Teleology
In ethics, as stated by Nicholson and Kurucz (2017), moral theories are frameworks upon
which the actions of individuals can undergo discussion, evaluation and justification, on their
rightness or wrongness. For the case of Dr. Susan Lim, I will be utilizing the moral theory of
Teleology, as an attempt to defend her stand. In accordance to the teleological theory of morality,
the end result or outcome achieved after the conductance of certain actions, is the determining
factor of morality. Hence, as stated by this theory, the action of an individual is morally correct,
if the results lead to beneficial outcomes (Padin et al., 2015).
Justification
Hence, the teleological theory of morality can be used to justify the moral dilemmas
faced by Dr. Susan Lim. Hence, according to this theory, Dr. Susan Lim’s action of charging
high prices for the medical field was reasonable and justified, since the initial purpose of her
action was to result in the betterment of the younger sister of the Queen of Brunei. Despite the
alarmingly high charged which indirectly would lead to profit, Dr. Susan Lim’s primary aim was
to result in the rapid recovery of the Queen’s sister, through the provision of high quality