Ethical considerations in health care
Ethical considerations in health care
It is a common occurrence for families to clash with healthcare providers on issues pertaining treatment of the patient. This brings about ethical challenges in a healthcare setting that if not properly addressed may bring problems that may hinder the healthcare provider’s ability to help the patient. During the week I did encounter such as the case that prompted a re-think in terms of ethics. In the pediatric unit, there was a child aged eight years old who had stage 4 osteosarcoma. The child was in pain, and thus the attending physician wanted a shift from curative to palliative care so as to enable him to be comfortable and as pain-free as possible. The problem arose when the parents were of the opinion that with the start of palliative care it would mean that their son would die quicker. We had already increased the dose of morphine in a bid to decrease the child’s pain. The ethical dilemma was whether to stop the palliative care in its entirety or continue with it to some extent so as to improve the quality of life for the child. The parents were convinced of the need for palliative care, but it does raise questions on its appropriate timing. Ethical considerations in health care.
This week I appreciated the importance of technology in healthcare. Innovations in IT have helped improve the quality of healthcare compared to previous years. We are in an exciting and dynamic digital age that continues to generate knowledge that informs and impacts health care organizations. IT has helped clinicians by coming up with ways of availing information on patients and what ails patients which eventually helps them make the best decisions in terms the patients’ healthcare. Cutting-edge technology has availed alternative tests and treatments for problems which have helped in prolonging lives and enabled clinicians to make the most effective decisions when it comes to patients. It’s an exciting time and age, and I cannot wait to see what innovations will come up next that will help us become better healthcare providers. Ethical considerations in health care
