Ethical issues in health care

In this case an appalation patient in a health care facility wishes to stop treatment for the stage four cancers. His family insists that he should be treated for the diseases and this brings a conflict between the nurse, family and the patient. This conflict will only be solved when a committee is formed. The committee will consist of the family member’s doctor and the patient. The committee will follow the ethical decision making process which will include:
I.
The Four Principles which will be used provide a general guide and leave considerable room for judgement in specific cases.
Respect for autonomy:
respecting the decision-making capacities of autonomous persons; enabling individuals to make reasoned informed choices.
Beneficence:
balancing benefits of treatment against the risks and costs; the healthcare professional should act in a way that benefits the patient.
Non maleficence:
avoiding causing harm; the healthcare professional should not harm the patient. Most treatment involves some harm, even if minimal, but the harm should not be disproportionate to the benefits of the treatment.
Justice:
respect for justice takes several forms:
Distribution of a fair share of benefits
Legal justice – doing what the law says
Rights based justice, which deals in the language, and perhaps the rhetoric, of claimed human rights, and hence goes beyond, though it includes, legal rights.