Healthcare ethics are a confusing maze for many professionals to navigate. In my profession as a healthcare ethics speaker, healthcare ethics consultant and ethics book author, I routinely encounter professionals who seem more ethically confused than ever. It is strange to me as I had assumed more healthcare professionals were being exposed to ethical healthcare issues and training. Sadly, they aren’t.
What ethical dilemmas do healthcare professionals face?
Considering the many ethical decisions healthcare professionals must make, as a healthcare ethics speaker, healthcare ethics consultant and ethics book author, the ethical considerations part of every “practice” are immense.
Let me briefly state at least 12 of those considerations though there are many more:
- Protection – It is not surprising that physicians, nurses, therapists and paraprofessionals can – and do – come into inadvertent contact with pathogens. Healthcare professionals may run into ethical problems as they treat patients. Patients and family members may take exception to protective equipment. Professionals have the right to protect themselves.
- Well-being– There is possibly no higher purpose than safeguarding the welfare of a patients, and without bias. It goes far beyond “uprightness” in being honest. Though we would like to differently believe, healthcare ethics has been severely tested in terms of intentional and unintentional prejudice. Any report of discrimination or bias must be given weight and investigation.
- Privacy – Any breach of patient privacy and/or patient records is serious. Healthcare ethics must dictate safeguarding privacy at all cost. Though state and federal laws are well-established, “openings” in the wall are routine. How do you handle violations of these policies?
- Bribery – Multi-million (and billion) dollar lawsuits have been adjudicated against pharma and medical equipment firms and healthcare professionals. What standards does your organization have in place?
- Destructive healthcare marketing– What ethical healthcare practices are in place in your hospital, clinic or facility to ensure patients are always more important than profits? Any promotional practices must be reviewed by a healthcare ethics committee.
- Staff safety – Though healthcare ethics likes to (and needs to) focus on patients, if the organization itself is “sick” in terms of sexual discrimination, racial or religious bias, the problem will spill over into every other aspect of care.
- “Copy” – Hospitals and the entire array of treatment facilities have run up against ethical issues when their advertising and marketing agencies have taken liberties with the truth. Good ethics requires honesty.
- Older patients – Some elderly patients are incapable of decision making especially in the end stages of life. From an ethical point-of-view, how is your organization dealing with these issues?
- Unauthorized personnel– This ethical issue appears to be surfacing with increasing regularity in certain areas of healthcare practices. From unauthorized drug reps in patient treatment areas to surgical equipment representatives, there are often healthcare ethics conflicts in play. How is the facility regulating any inappropriate behavior?
- End of life– What ethical processes are in place to make certain that patient wishes and expectations are being met? This, in and of itself, is a major ethical healthcare dilemma that must be addressed.
- Treatments – If mistakes in treatment have been made, what ethical healthcare actions are in place to alleviate pain or suffering?
- Social Media – As a healthcare ethics speaker, healthcare ethics consultant and ethics book author who frequently uses social media, it is impossible to relate just how many times I have seen inappropriate posts by healthcare professionals. FYI, there is nothing off-the-record when it comes to comments, blogs, photos or podcasts. Make certain everyone on staff is fully aware of the ramifications of inappropriate social media usage.
What ethical dilemmas do healthcare professionals face?
I repeat this question to underscore that healthcare ethics are constantly under challenge and pressure. For example, the pandemic certainly showed healthcare professionals at their best, but unfortunately at their worst. The fraud around COVID-19 during this time has been astronomical, as well as opioid issues, nursing home abuse and price gouging.
As the old adage tells us, we must all be part of the ethical healthcare solutions and not its problems.
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