Difficult Issues That Healthcare Professionals Must Face Courageously

If you are a doctor, a nurse, or any healthcare professional, chances are you will deal with the following issues that are very hard to bear or give an answer to. Let’s weigh down some of the aspects that would sometimes question our morality and put our ethical viewpoints in situations where we can’t easily judge whether if they’re right or wrong.

Would you facilitate abortion or mercy killing?

Although it is always the best decision to let a child out into the world, there are certain times when a life form inside a womb needs to be terminated. For instance, if a baby is already giving great harm to the mother, or when the carrier of the fetus has mental/physical inadequacies in handling the child, abortion must be highly considered. This is a very serious ethical issue, that is why reproductive health must remain as one of the most well-researched aspects in the field of medicine.

Another one of the most serious ethical issues that must be discussed in health care is Euthanasia or “mercy killing.” Some conservative people might view it as unethical and evil, but many physicians declare it as the right thing to do especially in situations where the patient cannot continue living anymore when detached from the electronic equipment that brings them life.

Of course, this requires thorough analysis and moral/ethical considerations. But when balanced and thought about properly, it could be the wisest decision a loved one would make since it would be something that the patient greatly hopes for.

But in contrast, there are doctors who would disagree. Some will choose the idea that even if the family of the patient declares a Do Not Resuscitate order, a physician should still go through the process of resuscitation if it can save the life of the patient. Oftentimes, people who are uneducated about the deep knowledge about health and biology do not know the best decisions to make.

Aside from the reason for extending the lifespan of someone, the quality of life of the patient is another important factor. If we are alive but do not get to enjoy the most simple pleasures that life brings, then it would be better off that we do not get to live anymore.

In that case, health care workers must make sure that the best courses of action should be made even if some people will disagree with them. If the life of the patient is saved because of the doctor’s decisions, the family of the patient will eventually be thankful to the one who chose to do the right thing.

Are you in favor of organ transplant even it is against the mandate of your religion?

Even though the loved ones might insist on letting a very sick person continue living, the patient himself might get very lonely or depressed throughout life, that he might not want to live anymore. For that reason, organ transplants must be done if they can make a patient a lot happier in the remaining days of his life.

A system that facilitates voluntary organ donation should be present in any city. It is because when a sector of the society like the government for instance would have a systematic initiative that caters to the needs of people who badly need organ replacement, it would result in a much faster means of addressing the need. Furthermore, people would have the awareness they need as to why they should consider donating their organs to other people whenever there is a great need for it.

One of the ethical dilemmas that may arise in expanding technology in the medical field is the fact that some religious issues might appear to be disrespected in the process of doing so. For instance, some spiritually-oriented people might not allow their patients to be injected with electronic apparatuses into their bodies because of the ethical preferences that their religion might be telling them.

Another thing is some people might not have enough faith in the technological systems that modern medicine is declaring. It could mean great trouble if the doctors insist on their technological knowledge just to cure a certain patient.

Is the act of harvesting human DNA against the will of God?

In DNA testing, one of the most serious ethical issues is the fact that some people may find it anti-religious if a piece of themselves is scrutinized for the sake of scientific understanding. Some people are so conservative that they think it is against the will of God if the natural aspect of themselves is tampered with by doctors and scientists.

Another thing is privacy. While it can be truly practical if a certain portion of ourselves is studied meticulously so that a certain illness can be truly cured, there are still those who prefer that a piece of certain information about themselves would just be kept secret or private for the sake of having peace of mind.

Unless a mass screening activity is extremely serious like COVID-19 tests, it should be thoroughly evaluated before putting it into action. Issues about cultural, ethical, and religious aspects should be weighed down carefully. Failing to do so would result in mass panic or violent mob reactions that is why there have to be proper drills and awareness campaigns before putting such tasks into execution.

Should Marijuana be legalized to help suicidal patients?

When certain research about suicide is conducted, one of the ethical issues that might be breached is in analyzing the psychological profile of the test subject. In such a process, some data that could tell about the sanity or insanity of a person could be figured out.

In that case, the test subject’s evaluation result might get leaked and passed on to others. This could pose a very serious threat which could greatly compromise the outcome of the test itself. In spite of these downsides, there are still radical suggestions concerning the legalization of seemingly harmless drugs such as Marijuana.

Since Marijuana can also act as a mild and harmless sedative according to some experts, it can be used to combat opioid abuse. In some European areas, as well as in some countries in the world, Marijuana is legalized which makes it clear that it is not really as dangerous as it sounds.

Since it is proven to much safer and less harmful than other drugs like Opium or Coca leaves, they should be considered as an alternative for treating opioid abuse. If Marijuana is a good sedative, could it be used to calm down suicidal patients? If it can save lives, shouldn’t it be declared legal?

Can you say you’d still treat patients fairly even if they are super-rude and extremely irritable?

One of the most important aspects of health care is The Principle of Beneficence which is about providing the kind of care in the best interest of the patient. This means that a health care personnel must extend his or her tolerance in dealing with even the rudest and most irritable of all patients. Patients often have disoriented minds because of their illnesses that is why they have to treat with the deepest form of understanding and consideration.

When moral obligations are talked about in a health care facility, an employee must bear in mind that saving lives is all that matters. Whether it is about dealing with handling the needs of the patients or obeying the employers, a health care professional must make sure that attentiveness and presence of mind must be manifested at all times.

How the execution of tasks in a health care workplace could greatly change or destroy the lives of patients. This means that being a hospital or clinic worker is one of the most serious jobs of all time.

Conclusion

If the existence of this pandemic has taught as one crucial lesson, it is that health care facilities should be prepared at all times. Whether or not there is a serious health scare that lurks around the corners, hospitals should retain the fast and state-of-the-art infrastructure that they have. Whenever serious health threats may rise again, they should be able to address them speedily because the methods that they already acquired will get executed immediately.

Such methods must include addressing the difficult issues mentioned above. They are very hard to balance and execute but then… they are crucial issues that we really have to tackle and have a debate with so we can come up with the most appropriate response.