Tonya’s Case and Professional Codes

Running head: Tonya’s case and Professional Codes
Tonya’s Case and Professional Codes

Tonya’s case and Professional Codes
Answer 1: The relevant end of life issues in case of Tonya Archer are Beneficence and
Fidelity. Beneficence means doing everything that is in favour of the patient’s heath but it
should not conflict with the patient’s decision or if the patient is not in the condition of taking
the decision then the decision of the guardian’s matter. Fidelity means delivering true and
faithful health care. Both ethics were taken lightly as her heart was beating and she was very
much alive but the doctors wanted to take her life support off (Cavalieri, 2001).
Answer 2: Doctors should keep Tonya treating nicely and give her the best health care as her
parents want because it is ethically correct to do. The fundamental principles advice the
doctors to take care of the patient even when there is no longer the cure available (LMS,
2012).
Answer 3: The principles which act as the foundation for me are:
 Nonmaleficence: The basic understanding of this principle is to do no harm of any
kind. If talking philosophically, in case of doing no harm to anybody means
everything should be done that benefits oneself and others too. Doctors should always
work according to the benefit of their patient. In case of Tonya, she was alive and they
wanted to take her life support off which was not called for.
 Autonomy: Autonomy is very important in my opinion because no doctor can take a
decision without informing the patient or the patient’s guardians. In other words, it is
the right of the patient that he or she can take his or her own decision in terms of their
health care (Summers, 2009).
The moral theory which is important for me is Utilitarianism. This theory advices that the
best decision should be taken with respect to everyone’s utility. This decision should do no
harm to anyone and is best for everyone. There should always be a win-win situation. In
Tonya’s case too, even when there was no cure left for her condition, she should be at least
given the best health care as living is every human’s right (Kirilmaz, Akbolat, & Kahraman,
2015).
Answer 4: In my view, my opinion supports my code of ethics as if talked about Tonya’s case
I would have given the right to Tonya or her parents to take their own decision and would
have kept her on life support till she is alive as according to her parents, her heart was
beating. In my view, the patient should be given the best of the health care until he or she is
alive. The best ethics that works for me are mentioned above, Autonomy and
Nonmaleficence. Both these codes of ethics suggest the similar views in this case too (Bhanji,
2013).
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