Personal Ethics In Health Care

Ethics are the branch of philosophy that deals with morality, or human conduct. In essence, ethics are moral principles centered on a general belief of what is right or wrong. Similarly, values are principles that signify how important something is to us, and they help to guide our daily behavior. Together, morals and values are interpreted on an individual level to determine one’s personal ethics. By raising one’s awareness regarding their personal ethics, or moral aptitude, individuals are more capable of effectively analyzing complex situations and are better prepared to assist in the decision making process.

Personal Professional Moral Compass

A thorough understanding of one’s belief system fosters the ability to identify the capacity

When these situations arise, the health care team must come together to analyze the available options and their associated implications. In my opinion, this process is made easier when shared values exist in the workplace. Shared values can serve to guide decision making that involves such complex issues. This type of environment is important for me as I draw inspiration and support from those who value the same moral principles that I possess.

One of the most prevalent ethical dilemmas that I can think of today is the affordability of health care. I work in outpatient surgery, and the procedures that we perform are elective. In other words, they are needed but often times not required. Our center collects payments prior to service, and some people are unable to get the treatment need because they cannot afford the upfront costs. However, our fee for service was not being received after patients had their procedures. Therefore, we had to make a change in order to remain a viable business. This creates an ethical dilemma for us in some cases as there are patients that do require surgery, but are unable to afford it. Fortunately, I work with like-minded individuals, and exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis. However, there are times that we are unable to make an exception and patients have to go to the hospital where their financial burden will be even greater. While these decisions are difficult, and conflict with our desire to care for patients, we must remain objective in our approach, using the criteria that we have established, so that we are able to continue to offer a great service to our