Ethics and Research in Professional Context

The case study of a doctor leaking the confidential information of his patient has raised an ethical dilemma. The dilemma has been analysed by applying different ethical theories such as Utilitarianism, Deontological and Virtue ethics. The views of different people involved in the case study have also been analysed. The potential conflicts and points of agreement have been discussed based on the principle of paternalism and autonomy. The influence of age, gender, sex and culture on people's views has also been discussed. The breach of professional conduct and legal issues have also been highlighted.

Running head: ETHICS AND RESEARCH IN PROFESSIONLAL CONTEXT
Ethics and Research in Professional Context

ETHICS AND RESEARCH IN PROFESSIONLAL CONTEXT 1
Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Case Study..................................................................................................................................2
Ethical Issues..............................................................................................................................3
Ethical Theories.........................................................................................................................3
Different views and stand...........................................................................................................4
Potential Conflicts and Points of Agreement.............................................................................5
Paternalism and Autonomy....................................................................................................5
Influence.....................................................................................................................................6
Professional Conduct.................................................................................................................7
Moral Solution...........................................................................................................................7
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................8

ETHICS AND RESEARCH IN PROFESSIONLAL CONTEXT 2
Introduction
An ethical dilemma had been considered as the clash between the two things or decisions.
Dilemmas can be rise out of any situation such as behaviour or attitude or any conduct. The
profession dilemma has been considered as the ethical problem that requires an individual to
choose the particular course of action. In a professional dilemma, a choice is considered
either right or wrong. If the choice is given than professionals must choose a right answer,
other choice is unmistakable the wrong answer. In this report, the analysis of the case study
of a doctor who has leak the confidential information of his client and will be analysed by
applying the ethical theories. The every member included in the case study have some view
in relation to the dilemma that has risen in the case and how they view this dilemma will be
discussed in this report. The potential conflicts that will be analysed in this case study in view
of many theories of ethics and by applying the principle of potential conflicts and points of
agreement. The dilemma will also been analysed that how different people of sex, age,
religion will view this dilemma. The dilemma also raises the legal issue and the professional
conduct and for that, various laws shall be implied. Therefore, the best moral solution that
can apply to dilemma will be discussed in this report.
Case Study
Mrs M was the patient of GP and had been suffering from the strange symptom of multiple
sclerosis. Mrs M realized that the she could be unaffected for some time and therefore she
said to her doctor than to keep the information confidential about her disease from everyone
including her family. The Doctor GP was dissatisfied with her decision as she argues that she
does not wants that her children and her husband will treat her differently. GP had shared this
information with her husband and her children who are also the patient of GP. Mrs M wants
to look after her children and she does not want that after knowing than it will bother them
about the disease.
The ethical dilemma that had raised in this case that Mr GP has done by giving the
confidential information that was between the doctor and patient had been leaked. The doctor
has the duty to put the information confidential of her patient. It is an object of trust and
equity that the doctor has the duty in his professional context. Therefore, in this case study

ETHICS AND RESEARCH IN PROFESSIONLAL CONTEXT 3
the dilemma has arisen between the doctor and patient relation of confidentiality, trust and
equity (Dyrbye, et. al., 2015).
Ethical Issues
The dilemmas give rise to the ethical issues and In this case study there are certain ethical
issues has given rise. There are certain ethical issues that has given rise in this case that the
information leaked by the doctor to her family members was wrong and he had breached his
professional duties towards its patient. Whether Mr GP had breached the trust of her client?.
The information given by Mr GP was the question of integrity.
There are various ethical theories as the views of the will be analysed in accordance with
these theories. The theories had been considered as the main framework that had been
evaluated must been considered as the basic aim to develop the conditions that are behaved
the conditions that had been analysed that the conditions that had been analysed that the
conditions of escalation that has arrived in the circumstances that there are laws that had been
analysed
Ethical Theories
The first ethical theories are the Utilitarianism ethical theory that is also called consequential
theory. This Utilitarianism ethical theory is part of a normative ethical theory. The judges of
this theory states the rightness and wrongness of the case is based on its consequences. The
theory has the basic aim to provide greater good for a greater number of people. The theory
suggests that anything that provides the good for many people shall be considered as right
(Doescher, et. al., 2017). The theory of Utilitarianism that was first detailed by Jeremy
Bentham an English professor. In his believe humanity has been surrounded around two
things. He stated that nature has surrounded humankind by two sovereign masters that is pain
and pleasure. According to Bentham, everyone wants pleasure in his or her life and no one
want pain. The theory is just based on what is right and what gives the pleasure (Broad,
2014).
The second theory is the Deontological theory that is a part of normative ethical theories. The
terms have arrived from the Greek words for duty (deon) and science (or study) of (logos).
This theory has the opposite views than the utilitarian ethical theory. Deontological theory
talks about morality and does not think about the consequences of the situation. This theory

ETHICS AND RESEARCH IN PROFESSIONLAL CONTEXT 4
takes the morality of the party that has taken certain action and thins whether the action that
had been taken is morally correct or wrong. It does not depend what will be the consequences
of that action. In other words, the deontology falls within the domain of moral theories that
guides what ought to do (Wald, et.al., 2015).
The third theory is virtue ethical theory has the different view than the deontological and
utilitarian theory of ethics. This theory judges a person by not his action but by its behaviour.
It rates the action of a person by its moral, reputational and motivation into the account. The
virtue therefore analyse the action of a person that what was the reputation of a person, moral
and motivation in the action. It also guides the characteristics and behaviours of a good
person will seek to achieve (Han, 2015).
Different views and stand
The dilemma had been considered by various people such as MR GP, Mrs M and Mrs M
Husband and her children differently. They all may all differentiate in their views in relation
to the dilemma.
In accordance with the Utilitarianism theory, that states the rightness, wrongness depends on
its consequences, and it talks about the benefit of large number of people. Mr GP has done
right because he has done what he thinks right and in accordance with this theory because he
had think about his families and her husband. He also thinks that she is not in a condition to
take the right decision as what her family can take.
Mr GP in view of Deontological theory was not correct because as per morality, he was not
correct and the decision taken by him was not morally correct. MR GP view has not taken the
decision consequences based on morality. Therefore, in view of Deontological theory he was
wrong.
Mr GP view in Virtue theory was also wrong because as per virtue theory of ethics takes
morality, behaviour and reputation into the action. As per this theory, Mr GP leaked the
confidential information to her family that is the breach of trust and integrity to her patient.
Therefore, in the view of virtue ethics it can be said to be correct in the virtue-based ethics.
Mrs M was not to be said to be correct in accordance with the Utilitarianism theory because
the consequences about the theory. In this context the happiness of large number of people
will be only there if she will been not diagnosed properly than the consequences can be very

ETHICS AND RESEARCH IN PROFESSIONLAL CONTEXT 5
dangerous. Therefore, for the happiness of her family members it was better to have
knowledge about her disease (Fees, 2016).
Mrs M was correct in view of Deontological Theory because as per morality-based
consequences, she has a thought of her family and she does not want that they treat her
differently. It was the reason she took the decision to hide her disease from her family.
Mrs M was also correct in view of virtue-based ethics that the relation of doctor is based on
trust and integrity. Mr GP had lost her trust by leaking the confidential information to her
family in accordance with this theory (Bhargava, 2017).
Mrs M husband has a different view that he may go with the Mr GP because as a husband he
has a right to have an information about her wife than he has a right to have the view must
been considered correct.
Mrs M children view will be different because they are unable to understand the
consequences of the dilemma. Therefore hiding the information by Mrs M to her children’s
was correct and Mr GP views to tell her children about the disease. Therefore, it will be not
been ethical to tell children about the disease (Fallowfield, et.al, 2014).
Potential Conflicts and Points of Agreement
The dilemma has taken various conflicts and various points of agreement if it has been
analysed by the ethical theories. It had been analysed that there are various points on which
the conflicts has arisen is leaking the confidential information, breached the trust and
integrity of Mrs M. The conflicts in this case study have been arising due to the reasons that
have been mentioned in the case.
However, agreement can take place on various ethical issues.
The judges of various theories have different views and as per their views dilemma will be
answered. The conflicts and points of agreement can be answered with the principle that has
been described below:
Paternalism and Autonomy
It is the challenging principle of profession medical ethics. It is behind the idea that patient
has the right to take his own decision of his or her life including the matters of medical. It is
not always in the case that has been judged and various times these relationship comes into a

ETHICS AND RESEARCH IN PROFESSIONLAL CONTEXT 6
conflict. These days the relationship of doctor-patient has been changing in various countries
(Wolf and Rosenstock, 2017).
After a huge discussion and arguments on this topic the patient autonomy has been
considered that the patients right of getting the treatment decision can take independently. It
has been much more understood in the context of broader social and cultural setting. These
days it was much appreciated the principle of autonomy in medical decision-making.
However, the views of patients, medical students and physicians differ. As expected, various
patients encountered patient autonomy issues. If it has been seen by the patient view the
biggest problem is the lack of privacy. In this case, study the conflict has arisen between the
Mr GP and Mrs M was of privacy. However, the practitioners are well-reputed practitioners
and therefore it is not been correct to challenge them on based of ethics. Therefore, the
autonomy of Mrs M confidential information has been leaked is against the patient autonomy.
The patient had described the various ethical dilemmas in a day that has been distinguished in
various ways that has been mentioned below (PMC, 2015).
Influence
The dilemma has been sometimes been identified by various factors such as age, gender, sex,
culture. People views are different according to these factors. In the scenario presented above
is a woman, who is a mother and a wife, whose confidential information had been leaked. In
the view of ethics, it can be said that the woman can take his own decision as she has attained
an age where she can take her own decision. Moreover she is a woman that is the other
influence one have and as in relation to professional ethics that the information relating to a
woman is much of care than the other patient (Niebauer, 2016).
The people have another view if there was a child instead of a woman than people have been
supported a doctor GP. A child been considered by people that he cannot take his own
decision in relation to medical. Therefore the dilemma has been seen by other people is
different from others age (Alexander, 2018).
Based on theories of ethics, Unilateralism would have described the influence of people
according to age, sex, culture and gender would never been the questioned. It sees what is
correct in the scenario that is based on its consequences. Mrs M age and gender influences
the more people and in accordance with this theory, she has been considered correct based on
influence (Hajar, 2017).

ETHICS AND RESEARCH IN PROFESSIONLAL CONTEXT 7
Based on the Deontological theory the morality is an important factor than the people
influence does not matter.
Based on virtue theory that is based on trust, reputation and morality where the influences
will be analysed in different manner. In accordance with this the the influence of people does
not a part of ethics (Wass and Southgate, 2017).
Professional Conduct
The professional conduct is said to be the regulation of members of professional bodies that
is either the statutory or the professional bodies. The professional conduct is something that
the practitioners have to apply in their conduct (Dimovska, Sharma and Trebble, 2016).
The doctors has the responsibility to protect, promote and in maintaining the health and
safety of the public by ensuring the proper standards in the practice of medicine. There are
certain responsibilities of the doctor towards it patient and that is required to be fulfilled by
the doctor. The care must been provided to the patient and the all required facilities. The
doctors take a Hippocratic Oath in that they swear to God that they will uphold with specific
ethical standards. It is the principle of medical confidentiality and non-maleficence (Peabody,
2015).
In the case study Mr GP had violated this oath and has leaked the confidential information of
her patient and on breach of his professional conduct.
There are certain laws based on the laws one can be held liable for these acts and therefore
been held liable for these acts. Mr GP can be liable under for breaching the professional
conduct.
Moral Solution
The moral solution to the dilemma that has been raised in the situation that Mr GP who is
having the confidential information of her patient should been taken into consideration and
must not leak that information to anyone in any circumstances. The ethical theories such as
deontological and virtue that states that doctor was wrong in acting morally and his cannot be
justified according to these theories. The moral conduct of a doctor as per professional
conduct states that the doctor must obey their professional duties and must takes the

ETHICS AND RESEARCH IN PROFESSIONLAL CONTEXT 8
information secret of their patient. However, the patient has also moral obligation towards
their family and has the obligations towards her family (Filip, et. al., 2016).
Conclusion
It can be analysed from the case study about various ethical issues that has took place in the
case study. In the case study there are various ethical issues had been arrived and that issues
been analysed by various ethical theories. The issues have been identified by Unilateralism
theory of ethics that states the good for large number of people. The GP act has been
considered right in accordance with the view and in the view of Deontological theory that
states the morality into action and on that perspective Mr GP act had been considered wrong.
In accordance with virtue ethics, also Mr GP act has been considered wrong, as Mr GP has
lost the trust and integrity towards her patient. It has also been analysed by the Paternalism
and Autonomy that the patient autonomy must been considered by the physicians. It has also
been analysed that various people has been influenced in accordance with the age and gender
and the community.
In context of professional conduct it has also been analysed that the doctor have some basic
duties towards their patient and that must been fulfilled. The doctors take Hypothetical oath
that obliges doctors to keep their patients and must provide best services. In the context of
case study, it has been analysed that Mr GP has breached these professional conduct. In
conclusion, the moral solution has been provided in which how the conflict can be end by
applying the moral values into the conduct.

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