Health And Social Care & Health And Social Policy Assignment Sample

Health And Social Care & Health And
Social Policy

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Discussion of case study.............................................................................................................1
Ethical issues and Dilemma in case............................................................................................2
Different stakeholders involved and individual view over dilemma..........................................3
Potential conflicts and points of agreement in ethical arguments...............................................5
Influence of gender, ethnicity, religion, age, sexuality, etc. on responding to ethical dilemma.6
Code of professional conduct and law over ethical dilemma of the case to arrive at moral
solution........................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Ethics is a branch of knowledge which is governed by moral principles and plays a
valuable role in the lives of people. It is important for health care workers to work ethically. The
study will utilise a case study to demonstrate the ethical dilemmas in the work of medical
professionals. This study will begin with a case study. This will be followed by ethical issues in
the chosen case, stakeholders involved in it and their view on dilemma, prospects of conflict and
agreement, influence of gender, ethnicity, religion and other demographic factor on ethical
dilemma. Further, in the later part of report discussion is done over code of professional conduct
and law over ethical dilemma associated in the case.
MAIN BODY
Discussion of case study
The case is about 40-year-old woman, Katherine suffering from Gullian Barres syndrome
which occurs due to digestive and respiratory infection. The patient’s immune system starts to
weaken, the service user experiences tingling and weakness in joints and different parts of the
body. The risk in this situation is shortness of breath and permanent damage to cells which
causes paralyses. According to Kuruppuarachchi, Sundaresan and Thivakaran, (2018), the people
suffering from Gullian Barres syndrome are unable to recover and live full lives.
However, in accordance with the case, Katherine is an intelligent unmarried woman
experiencing painful neurological illness which leaves her paralysed from time to time. She was
paralysed for three years, and before this, it was diagnosed by health professionals that there has
been extreme damage to her nerves and muscles because of which she will never be able to
breathe on her own and also will not able to move without assistance. As per diagnosis and
health professional she now needs ventilator support for breathing. Her health professional
discussed the whole situation with her in gentle way.
Apparently, after a discussion, Katherine asked her doctor to speak to her personally as
she wants to discuss something. In the discussion, Katherine stated that she considered options
given by a doctor, but now she feels like ending her life as she does not want to live any more.
According to her, there is no point living like because she was no longer free to move and
breathe on her own, which means that she just had to lay down in constant pain with no hopes of
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recovery. Katherine ended the discussion by stating that she has discussed this with her family
and they accepted her wishes to remove the ventilator.
Stakeholder
Value of life where Katherine has no consideration over own life because of discussion
with Doctor. She placed very little value to her life where she gave up to pain when her health
began to fail or to deteriorate. Value of life is classified into three elements that are quality,
quantity and sanctity. The quality elements of value of life justified the decision made by
Katherine because she will not be able to live her life she wants to. Nevertheless, it is the moral
duty of the doctor to consider key stakeholder in discussions with very ill patients because
patient consent is important but discussion about decline in health of individual can be more
panicking and life-threatening (Chisholm and Sheather, 2018).
Ethical issues and Dilemma in case
As per the discussion of case, it can be articulated that the case is of assisted suicide which
is voluntary euthanasia where patients wants to end their life in painless manner. It is an act of
intentional killing with consent of patient and his or family or immediate guardians. The ethical
dilemma of the case discussion of health professional directly to patient about her whole
situation which led to discouragement and disappointment in her. The patient suffering from life
threatening diseases are vulnerable to changes and continuous hospitalisation (Levinson,
Humphrey and Polonsky, 2017). However, the moral duty of doctor is to share details with
patients about only about their recovery because any disappointing sentences can harm their lead
to hazardous mental or physical distress. There are different dilemmas in case of Katherine
where she asked health professional that she wants to end her life. In accordance with discussion
of doctor with Katherine, it can be said that it is important for the health professionals and
practitioners to seek patient consent over his or her health concerns but doctors are not liable to
share very part of health with patient because it can be distressing for patient. Dilemma of
discussion Katherine and Doctor discussion is disagreement of patient over care management
plans and truth telling.
On the other hand, ethical issue raised when Katherine discussed whole situation with
family and not doctor because it is moral and professional responsibility of doctor to discuss
whole situation of patient with family or immediate guardians. Now the dilemma is Katherine is
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