Analysis of Ethical Principles: Mr. Dimitriadis Case Study, NSG2HEL

This essay provides an in-depth analysis of a medical ethics case study involving Mr. Dimitriadis, a patient with a deteriorating cardiac condition and a comorbid respiratory condition. The essay explores the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, veracity, and justice, as t...Read More

Running head: MEDICAL ETHICS
MEDICAL ETHICS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1MEDICAL ETHICS
As per the case study, there are various ethical theories and principles that has been
delivered through the circumstances faced by Mr. Dimitriadis. Mr. Dimitriadis has been
suufereing from cardiac issues and it is observed that his health gets more worse due to a
cornomobid respiratory condition. However, from the case study, it is established that there
are no such immediate actions available towards treating the respiratory condition. It is to
mention that with thorough observation of Mr. Dimitriadis’ health, it is predicted that he
might pass away within few days. Following such condition, further actions and scenes are
witnessed and the fact these highlight certain ethical principles and theories. The essay
focuses on the highlighting the ethical principles and theories that has been associated with
the case study of serious health condition of a patient named, Mr. Dimitridia. The essay
provides an in depth analysis of the case study and demonstrate the understanding and the
utilization of the ethical principles as well as theories.
Ethical principles are recognized through certain situations, or in the course of
decision making for the betterment of the society. From the very thought of Mr. Dimitriadis’
health, it is to mention that the condition is crucial along with the fact that his wife also have
certain health issues, that is, she has history of anxiety (ADENUGBA, 2014). Thereby, Mr.
Dimitriadis decides to not to tell his wife regarding his health condition. Following his
decisions, he gives certain instructions to the staff to take care of the situation and the fact
that they must ensure that his wife does not get to know about the his irreparable respiratory
condition in any way. The scene points out the importance of autonomy, that is recognized as
one of the ethical principles (ADENUGBA, 2014). The principle of autonomy shows the self
determination of the patient while making an important decision. The patient being in serious
health condition, he justly takes a decision for the betterment of his wife. Thereby, it is to
mention that the staffs accepts their client’s wish or decision and pays respect to his innate
right of having own opinions, values, perspectives a beliefs (ADENUGBA, 2014).

2MEDICAL ETHICS
The ethical principle of Veracity is often linked with the principle of Autonomy. This
is because Veracity is associated with the telling of the truth and it is the duty of the health
care department to inform the immediate guardian of the patient’ health conditions, especially
during the time of providing informed consent (ADENUGBA, 2014). This develops a healhy
envrionemnt between both the parties. Following such principle, it is the duty of the health
care staffs to inform the condition of Mr. Dimitriadis to his wife. However, the principle of
autonomy that is the decision taken regarding the concerns of Mr. Dimitriadis’ own as well as
his family’s betterment is required to be respected by the staff (ADENUGBA, 2014). The
ethical dilemma is established through the perspectives of both the parties and the case study
signifies the different perspective and sphere that cannot be satisfied evenly as well as
simultaneously.
The principle of non-maleficence takes part in avoiding or preventing possible harms.
As per the reports of Mr. Dimitriadis health issues, there were no such immediate or readily
available treatments. However, there were other treatment that may satisfy the patient at
certain extent but might not guarantee to resolve the issue properly. Though the opinion were
open to M. Dimitriadis, yet he refuse to undergo any further treatment as he understands his
situation along with the fact that he might not live many days. Thereby, he decides to keep
going on for few more moments the way he has been so far. The concerns of Mr. Dimitrisdis
and his wish to remain inactive regarding taking up further treatments were respected by the
health care staffs, which is also a scenario of non maleficence projected in another
perspective. The health care patient does not intend to harm the patient by paying respect of
the decision of taking up no treatment. The deterioration of respiratory condition has reached
up to such an extreme level that it is now no more benefitting to take up any other kind of
treatment.

3MEDICAL ETHICS
The principle of Justice involves the fair distribution of paying attention to the
patient’s health as well as the acknowledgement of the patient’s party and his or her queries
and the right to gain information (Al-Bar & Chamsi- Pasha, 2015). It is observed that the case
study provides a striking instance, that the moment when the patient’s wife has arrived on the
ward to find him unconscious and is demanding to be told the truth of his condition (Al-Bar
& Chamsi- Pasha, 2015). As per the case study, it is to mention that the psychology of the
both Mr. Dimitriadis and is wife has got point regarding justification of the decision making.
As per the wife, she was supposed to be informed regarding the matter of her husband’s
health conditions as she has been preparing herself towards dealing any situation (Al-Bar &
Chamsi- Pasha, 2015). Therefore, the act of not informing the situation of Mr. Dimitriadis to
his wife happens to appear unfair for her (Al-Bar & Chamsi- Pasha, 2015). The ethical
dilemma has always been predominant in the course of decision making and the fact that it is
impossible to satisfy all the sides evenly. However, even though the violation of the right of
his wife was not intended yet it is seen possibly as the right decision with respect to the
anxieties issues due to which his wife often suffers (Mandal, Ponnambath & Parija, 2016).
Ethics is identified as a sensible branch in the context of moral philosophy and the
circumstances that are based on certain obligations and conflicts. The case study provides two
strands of thought that are associated with the course of decision-making (Mandal,
Ponnambath & Parija, 2016). They are Utilitarianism and Deontological. In the context of
ethical sphere, the health care system and the health care practitioners look after both the
concerns of maintaining integrity and responsibility in their duty. In the utilitarianism
approach, the act of decision making is taken forward on the basis of benefitting factor that is
meant for the people in the surrounding associated with the context (Mandal, Ponnambath &
Parija, 2016). The approach is supposed to lead to the result of maximum benefit. The
assessment of the utilitarianism is done through an individual in the case study (Mandal,

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Ponnambath & Parija, 2016). And following it, several actions are carried forward, promoting
overall better outcomes. According to the case study, the decision of Mr. Dimitriadis is
accepted because it appeared to be morally right (Mandal, Ponnambath & Parija, 2016).
However, in contrast, the ethics associated with the idea of deontology concerns the core
morality of the action, that is, no injustice or harm is accepted or considerable in the course of
decision making (Mandal, Ponnambath & Parija, 2016). And as per the case study, the theory
of Deontology happens to be highlighted when the wife finds her husband unconscious
provided with the fact that she was absolutely unaware of her husband’s health condition.

5MEDICAL ETHICS
References:
Mandal, J., Ponnambath, D. K., & Parija, S. C. (2016). Utilitarian and deontological ethics in
medicine. Tropical parasitology, 6(1), 5.
Holland, S. (2015). Public health ethics. John Wiley & Sons.
Beneficence, B., Equality, C., & Non-maleficence, D. (2017). Q1: E. Veracity. Mastering
Single Best Answer Questions for the Part 2 MRCOG Examination: An Evidence-Based
Approach, 239.
ADENUGBA, O. A. (2014). VIRTUE ETHICS AND THE DUTY OF VERACITY IN
PHYSICIAN-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP (Doctoral dissertation).
Al-Bar, M. A., & Chamsi-Pasha, H. (2015). Nonmaleficence. In Contemporary Bioethics (pp.
119-128). Springer, Cham.