Help with ethical principle?
Assessment 03 – Applying Ethical Principles
For this assessment, you will develop a solution to a specific ethical dilemma faced by a health
care professional. Before you complete the instructions detailed in the courseroom, first select
one of the ethical dilemmas below to be the focus of your assessment.
After you have selected one of the ethical dilemmas from below, return to the detailed
instructions in the courseroom to complete your assessment.
Case Study: End-of-Life Care for a Minor
Timothy Collins, a vibrant 16-year-old high school junior known for his passion for music and
soccer, has been battling an aggressive form of leukemia for two years. Despite the initial hope
and a brief period of remission, recent tests have shown that the leukemia cells have multiplied
aggressively. The prognosis is grim.
After enduring multiple rounds of chemotherapy, bone marrow transplants, and countless
hospital stays, Timothy, weary from the side effects and the emotional toll of the disease,
expresses a wish to his primary oncologist, Dr. Angela Foster, to discontinue his treatments. He
has been researching and wishes to enter hospice care, hoping to spend his remaining time in
the comfort of his home, surrounded by his loved ones.
His parents, Mr. Robert Collins, a bank manager, and Mrs. Lydia Collins, a schoolteacher, are
devastated by Timothy’s decision. They have been tirelessly researching and believe that a new
experimental treatment overseas might offer a glimmer of hope. They cannot fathom giving up
and want to explore every possible avenue to save their only child.
Dr. Angela Foster, a seasoned oncologist with over 20 years of experience, finds herself in one
of the most challenging situations of her career. She deeply respects Timothy’s maturity and his
right to have a say in his care. However, she also understands the desperation and pain of the
Collins family. The principles of beneficence and autonomy are at odds in this situation. While
she wants to act in the best interest of Timothy, she also recognizes the rights of the parents
and their wishes for their minor son.
Case Study: Medical Data Privacy
Nurse Diana Mitchell, a dedicated professional with over a decade of experience at City Health
Hospital, prides herself on her commitment to patient privacy. One evening, while assisting Dr.
Roberts with patient record updates, she inadvertently stumbles upon medical records of her
neighbor, Samuel Gray. The records reveal that Samuel has been receiving treatment for HIV
for the past two years.
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The discovery leaves Diana in shock, not just because of the diagnosis, but because her
younger sister, Emma, recently mentioned that she had started dating Samuel. Diana is very
concern for her sister’s well-being.
Diana is torn. The principle of confidentiality is a cornerstone of medical ethics, and she knows
the legal and professional implications of breaching it. However, the personal stakes are high.
She fears for her sister’s health and feels a moral obligation to inform her. Diana grapples with
the weight of her professional responsibility against her protective instincts as an older sister.
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