University Healthcare Ethics Assignment: Legal and Ethical Issues

This case study delves into the legal and ethical issues within healthcare, focusing on a scenario involving a patient's end-of-life care. The assignment analyzes the conflict between patient autonomy, family wishes, and legal frameworks such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The case explores the role of the hospital's ethical department in balancing patient rights with family considerations, particularly when the patient's decision-making capacity is compromised. The solution emphasizes the importance of respecting patient autonomy, even in difficult situations, and highlights the need for ethical committees to navigate complex medical and legal scenarios. The assignment considers the patient's advance directive and the ethical implications of the family's emotional distress versus the patient's expressed wishes.

Running head: LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN HEALTHCARE
LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN HEALTHCARE
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN HEALTHCARE
Based on the scenario it has been seen that the Mr. Curry has been dismissed by Barry
and he also threatened the hospital facility so that they do not remove the respirator and thus do
not let his father die. It can be seen that Barry was doing all these as of his guilt for not being in
touch with his father for over 20 years and also he was not thinking rationally as of the regret of
losing his father. However, he should understand that his father is already in advance directive
and not responding anymore to any treatment. Hence, it can be stated that the hospital facility
was not considering the ethical aspects regarding the patient’s autonomy that is the wish of the
patient in this condition (Wolf, Berlinger & Jennings, 2015). The patient’s decision maker has
been asked to leave and thus Barry has been taking the decision on his own. It can be stated that
the ethical department of the hospital should focus on the autonomy of the patient with
consideration of the sorrow of the family members for losing loved ones however, the ethical
committee should also focus on the patient’s autonomy and respect that as well. Here, the Civil
Rights Act 1964 should be considered as well in terms of the rights of the patient and the respect
of the patient’s decision as well (Eeoc.gov, 2019). On this context it can be stated that the role of
the ethics department would be considering the autonomy and the rights of the patients over the
family decisions.

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LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN HEALTHCARE
References
Eeoc.gov. (2019). Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Retrieved 6 September 2019, from
https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/titlevii.cfm
Wolf, S. M., Berlinger, N., & Jennings, B. (2015). Forty years of work on end-of-life care—from
patients' rights to systemic reform.