Applying the Four Principles: Case Study

Running head: HEALTH SCIENCE
1
Health Sciences
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

HEALTH SCIENCES 2
Applying the Four Principles: Case Study
Part 1: Chart
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
Based on the healing and anatomy case study, the
beneficence and non-maleficence principles will be discussed in
this section. Beneficence principle is about achieving balanced
advantages of treatment besides the costs and risks that may
arise while non-maleficence is about evading the extent of harm
(Baumann et al., 2013). Based on the case study, James suffers
from acute glomerulonephritis or Kidney failure. Since the
problem was acute, the doctor proposed that James needed to
undergo immediate dialysis even though James and Joanne
foregone the dialysis and decided to pray and have faith in God
as they had witnessed a friend heal from a stroke. Therefore, the
two principles show that regardless of how dialysis might be
uncomfortable, unpleasant, or painful it can help James reduce
The principle of respect for autonomy involves
respecting a patient’s decision and act based on their thoughts as
long as the condition does not cause harm to others (Vayena &
Tasioulas, 2013). This principle applies in Jame’s case because
the physician allowed him to have faith in healing. However,
because his condition had deteriorated the family went against
the principle of respect for autonomy and forced him to
undertake dialysis. James had been informed about the benefits
of dialysis even though he believed in faith in God and he was
mentally competent to decide on taking regular dialysis while
waiting for a kidney transplant.

HEALTH SCIENCES 3
the harm that might occur if he does not undertake it.
Quality of Life
Beneficence, Nonmaleficence, Autonomy
Contextual Features
Justice and Fairness
It is important to note that respect for beneficence and
non-maleficence may as well imply failing to respect a patient’s
autonomy based on their views about a specific treatment
(Saunders, 2017). For instance, James was forced by the family
members to undergo dialysis because his condition deteriorated
and it appeared that he did not have adequate faith in God. This
situation made Mike, Jame’s father to feel tormented and
perplexed for not honouring the suggestion to undertake the
dialysis earlier. The quality of life for James had declined and it
raised some questions where Mike thought if God was punishing
him or James.
The principle of justice holds based on the case study
because it involves a state whereby the physician needs to
consider significant areas like competing needs, distribution of
scarce resources, responsibilities, and rights. Notably, the
decision about James undertaking regular dialysis as he awaits
for Kidney transplant raises a dilemma because Samuel was his
match and Mike struggles to decide if he would let him lose his
other son lose his Kidney or wait for God to perform a healing
miracle. Mike went ahead to wonder if this was a real test from
God about his faith because this time it is about a matter of life
and death.