Case Study on Biomedical Ethics in the Christian Narrative
Student name
Institution of Affiliation
Date
Case Study on Biomedical Ethics in the Christian Narrative
| Medical Indications Beneficence and Non-maleficence | Patient Preferences Autonomy |
| Beneficence is the principle in medical practice that requires the medic to act in the best interest of the patient (Launer, 2017). On the other hand, non-maleficence is the principle that requires the medical practitioner to undertake any actions that will not lead to any harm to the patient (Launer, 2017). In the case study, the two principles have been portrayed in various ways. These include the ability of the physician to make a decision based on the patient’s symptoms. It is worth noting that the patient’s symptoms are a crucial factor to consider during diagnosis. The symptoms are a key indicator of the severity of the condition, which determines the relevant treatment action to be carried out. In the case scenario, it is clear that James’s condition is deteriorating, and the physicians use the symptoms to make informed advice after identifying that James might be suffering from kidney failure. The physician acted in the best interest of James by advising immediate dialysis as a treatment measure to his condition. On the other hand, James’ parents acted in the best interest of their son by taking him to the physician when they noticed that his condition was deteriorating.
| Autonomy in nursing refers to the ability to make the right decision (Launer, 2017). Autonomy is depicted in the case study through the action of James’ parents. Despite the deteriorating James conditions, his father was reluctant to seek clinical intervention. Mike and Joan (James’ parents) were on the knowledge that their son had secondary kidney failure, also known as glomerulonephritis; however, they still went ahead to skip the medical intervention and sought for spiritual intervention. The parents brought James to the hospital when they noticed that the patient’s condition is worsening. However, the ability of the parents to make the decision was still respected.
. |
| Quality of Life Beneficence, Non-maleficence, Autonomy | Contextual Features Justice and Fairness |
| · The decision recommended by the parents and the physician does not rhyme. This has led to the deterioration of the health of James. Mike and Joan took their son to the healing service and did not heed to the physician’s instruction of taking James to dialysis. Even though dialysis was the best medical decision to subject the patient to, the parents failed to heed the advice, and the physician could not force them. This shows how the principle of autonomy might lead to the principle of non-maleficence and beneficence. | It is worth noting that the contextual features examine the social, legal, and family setting that might affect medical decision making. This has been depicted when James’s parents resulted in seeking for a healing restoration as an alternative to medical intervention. The parents had faith that their son could be healed in church. However, the physician demonstrated justice and fairness by allowing the parents to have their way as the key decision-makers in their son’s health (Launer, 2017). Even after the physicians recommended a kidney transplant, the parents reused to donate or even allowing James twin bother to donate the kidney. Even though the decision taken by parents could be said to be unfair, the physicians acted in an unfair manner by seeking alternative kidney donors. |
Part 2
- Which of The Four Principles Is the Most Pressing
| The most pressing principle in this case study is the principle of autonomy. The parents were given the mandate to make decisions affecting their son’s health because they are the key decision-makers because James is a minor. Autonomy allows patients or their guidance to make a key decision affecting their health (Zwitter, 2019). Autonomy is depicted when Mike, James’s father, opted for taking James to a healing service at the expense of foregoing for dialysis. The physicians gave the parents the autonomy to make decisions with regards to their child’s health. The parents were also given the autonomy of believing in God. From a Christian’s world view, it is important for Christians to believe in God’s healing but also seek medical attention. Believing in God’s healing power is the best decision to make, and it shows the ability to trust God’s sovereignty. However, Christians are advised to also seek medical attention. There is no verse in the bible that prevents Christians from seeking medical attention. In addition, it is worth noting that physicians only treat, but God heals. Hence, autonomy is the most pressing issue because it would have led to the parents losing their son if the condition would have gotten worse. Furthermore, the action of the parents to refuse to James to be taken for multiple dialyses could have led to the fatality. In addition, the parents were reluctant to donate a kidney to James or allowing James’s twin brother to donate him. This shows the extent to which autonomy affected the medical procedure of James. |
- How might a Christian rank the priority of the four principles? Explain why
| From a Christian point of worldview, the decision priority can be best ranked as maleficence, justice, fairness, and autonomy. From a Christian point of view, the law of bioethics denotes that any decision made by the caregivers and the physicians should be at best interested in the child and without malice (Wiesemann, 2016). Second, there needs to be fairness in decision making, which brings justice, then autonomy, which involves making a moral decision. Any decision made by caregivers should be in the best interest of the patients. The parents ought to act in the best interest of their son by taking heed of the physician’s instructions. The physicians are professionals in their line of duty. Hence, any advice given by the physician should be taken by the parents as advice meant to make James better. Christian parents are mandated to take actions that act in the best interest of the child during a medical treatment emergency. The bible orders Christians to obey authority. Hence, physicians have been given the authority by God to provide medical assistance. Through the principle of autonomy, it is important for James’s parents to show their love towards James by following the physician’s advice. This involves making the right decision that is considered morally upright (Zwitter, 2019). The decision made by the parents should not harm the child in any manner. The decision made by James’s parents of skipping the therapy was not in the best interest of the James. Hence, this shows a lack of fairness towards their son because the son’s health ended up deteriorating. Finally, Christians are mandated to respect the medical decision or professional advice as a show of respective God’s gift to human beings. Human beings are gifted in a different field, and hence, it is important for Christians to respect every profession. The physician also has a role in respecting the decision made by parents with the hope that the parents are acting in the best interest of their children. |
References
Launer, J. (2017). Narrative ethics and primary care. In Handbook of Primary Care Ethics (pp. 259-266). CRC Press.
Wiesemann, C. (2016). Moral equality, bioethics, and the child (Vol. 67). New York: Springer.
Zwitter, M. (2019). Ethical Theories. In Medical Ethics in Clinical Practice (pp. 15-22). Springer, Cham