Applying Ethical Principles to the Ethical Dilemma
Autonomy is defined as “accepting and comprehending the values of patients.” There are three main elements of medical ethics at stake in this issue for Dr. Kerr’s ethical decision-making. Ethical dilemmas are produced by the conflict between the concepts of autonomy, beneficence, and non-maleficence. The doctor respects Ana’s parents’ fears and reservations by not coercing them to get the girl appropriately assessed. The doctor adds to his argument to convince them of the significance of having a vaccination dosage. In order to safeguard the health of their patients, pediatricians refuse to see families with children who have not had a vaccination.
An estimated one-third of physicians and one-half of pediatric offices say they will not handle families that refuse to vaccinate their children. According to the doctors, their policy is to safeguard the families of other patients. When pediatricians keep unvaccinated families as clients, many believe they do so to convince the parents to vaccinate their children. Pediatricians may be reluctant to treat parents who refuse to vaccinate their kids. In a poll of pediatricians’ offices, 51% of them had a policy of kicking out families that refuse to vaccinate their children out of their practice. Dr. Kerr might consider contacting Child Welfare information gateway, a social service agency that provides counseling and support to children and their families and promotes child welfare. The doctor could seek an intervention from the Child Welfare information gateway to help. Ana receives medical attention (beneficence) and avoids any harm that could be done by failing to vaccinate her (non-maleficence) (Casali & Perano, 2021).
Dr. Kerr may be forced to override the ethical concept of autonomy by involving the child welfare information gateway. Still, the doctor must do so for Ana’s well-being. This is the body’s strategy for preventing sickness. Immunity Immune systems are not fully formed in newborns, which increases the risk of infection. Antibodies produced by vaccination function in conjunction with the body’s defense mechanisms to help your Child acquire immunity to disease. Dr. Kerr should seek the intervention of the Child Welfare Information gateway to help Ana, keeping the danger factor in mind.
Conclusion
Health care providers can use the four ethical values outlined above to help them work through ethical issues. Ana must choose between obeying her parents’ wishes and carrying out her professional responsibilities as a healthcare professional by assisting Ana in seeking medical attention in the case study scenario. Moreover, Patients can benefit from their doctors listening intently to their problems and displaying empathy and genuine concern for their well-being, as shown in this case study. Dr. Kerr’s moral awareness can be seen by the fact that he is aware of the circumstances behind Ana’s illness. Her moral judgment is evident in his attempt to encourage Ana’s parents to seek medical treatment for her.
References
Casali, G. L., & Perano, M. (2021). Forty years of research on factors influencing ethical decision making: Establishing a future research agenda. Journal of Business Research, 132, 614-630. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.07.006
Guidolin, K., Catton, J., Rubin, B., Bell, J., Marangos, J., Munro-Heesters, A.,.. & Quereshy, F. (2021). Ethical decision making during a healthcare crisis: a resource allocation framework and tool. Journal of medical ethics. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2021-107255
Hill, H. A. L. D. Elams-Evans, David Yankey, James A. Singleton, and Yoojae Kang.“Vaccination Coverage Among Children Aged 19–35 Months–the United States, 2017. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 67, 1123-1128. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6740a4external icon
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