The Ethics of Denying ICU Access to Drug and Alcohol Abusers

This essay examines the contentious issue of whether individuals who abuse drugs and alcohol should be denied access to Intensive Care Units (ICUs). The author presents the ethical complexities of this debate, highlighting the collision between human rights, ethical codes of conduct, and the principle of human dignity. The essay explores arguments for and against denial of access, considering perspectives from medical practitioners, ethical philosophies, and societal views. It discusses the responsibilities of both healthcare providers and individuals struggling with substance abuse, emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations in healthcare decision-making. The essay concludes that providing healthcare for substance abusers is ethically justifiable, considering the impact on other patients and the security of the medical staff.

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PEOPLE WHO ABUSE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL SHOULD BE DENIED ACCESS TO
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PEOPLE WHO ABUSE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL SHOULD BE DENIED ACCESS TO INTENSIVE CARE UNIT 2
Recently, a senate was reported to have blocked the signing of a government strategy to
deny the access of government pensions to the people with a disability caused by substance
abuse. The withdrawal of the pensions would mean that these people would hardly access the
basic healthcare services. Drug abuse is also a controversial concern in the inpatient department
in any medical facility. This has attracted some social debates on whether the addicts should be
allowed to access the Intensive Care Units. The medical practitioners are the most affected by the
dilemmas arising from this issue. There is a collision between the ethical codes of conduct, the
observance of the human rights and the adherence to the dictates of human rights.
Human dignity is a primary consideration in the ethical and Christian philosophies that
the dignity of a human being is deep-rooted in the fact that they are all made in the image of
God. This dismisses all the conclusions likely to be made in relation to personal character, ethnic
and racial background. Individuals seeking treatment in the ICU’s under drug influence have a
right to access it in this point of view (D’Aunno, et al., 2015, p. 800). Failure to do this, the
medical facilities ought to be charged with the failure to uphold human dignity. However, the
drug addicts are also responsible for maintaining their personal dignity. People ought to lead
righteous lives in order to gain respect from others. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
clearly states that every human being possesses some inherent dignity that must be recognized
(Barilan, 2017). The drug addicts should be coerced to stop substance abuse failure to which
their access to the ICU should be denied.
Ethically, drug abuse is unacceptable. All the virtue-based ethical theories denounce
addiction. Although the subscribers of the consequence-based theory argue in a position that
could allow their admission in hospitals, this might not be the best option. The deontologists

PEOPLE WHO ABUSE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL SHOULD BE DENIED ACCESS TO INTENSIVE CARE UNIT 3
argue that it is a moral duty or obligation to act in the right way (McInnis & Robeson, 2016, p.
16). Ideally, the medical institutions have the duty to protect human lives regardless of their
practices. Again, all humans have an obligation to live in line with the moral guidelines of the
society. Virtue ethics on the other hand recommends that character matters above all else. Living
ethically requires a strict adherence to and demonstration of the societal virtues (McInnis &
Robeson, 2016, p. 22). Drug abuse is never a virtue. Every society condemns it and all the
members ought to restrain from temptations to drug addiction.
The society at times tends to fix the medical practitioners on the grounds of the
recommended code of conduct. The professional ethics of the medical practitioners dictate that
the highest mission is the involvement in the best practices to save human lives (Hughes, 2014,
p. 2). They are bound to practice passion and devotion in the service of others. There is no point
in the professional code of conduct that the doctors and the nurses are advised to discriminate
against patients owing to their undesirable practices. Ideally, this is a misunderstanding coined to
exploit the nurses. The society ought to be more lenient and humane to the needs of the doctors
and nurses.
In conclusion, the provision of the health care preserved for the substance abusers is
unjustifiable both lawfully and ethically. It is only a few individuals who can support the
presence of the addicted in the ICU’s majorly for selfish gains. The presence of the drug abusers
in healthcare units poses a problem to almost all the departments in the hospitals. The security of
the other patients and the staff is threatened.

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References
Barilan, Y. M., 2017. Human Dignity, Human Rights, and Responsibility. [Online]
Available at: https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/human-dignity-human-rights-and-responsibility
[Accessed 26 September 2017].
D’Aunno, T., Friedmann, P. D., Chen, Q. & Wilson, D. M., 2015. Integration of Substance
Abuse Treatment Organizations into Accountable Care Organizations:Results from a National
Survey. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 40(4), pp. 798-819.
Hughes, L. D., 2014. How should healthcare students view addiction and substance. Scottish
Universities Medical Journal, 1(4), pp. 1-3.
McInnis, O. A. & Robeson, P., 2016. Alberta Healthcare Professionals’ Perceptions of
Prescription Drug Misuse. Canadian Journal of Addiction, 7(2), pp. 14-32.