Ethical Dilemmas Of Covert Medication Administration

Ethical Dilemmas of Covert Medication Administration in the Treatment of Mental Health Conditions

“What’s in the Pudding” is a short text describing how mental health conditions such as dementia and psychosis can present significant challenges in the treatment and care of patients. These conditions can cause many symptoms including confusion, fear, and aggression, making it difficult for patients to adhere to their medical treatment instructions, more predominantly when taking prescribed medications. To ensure that patients will take their medicine, healthcare workers may use a strategy called ‘covert medication administration,’ which involves hiding the medication in the patient’s food or drink so that they are unaware that they are taking

A utilitarian perspective may argue that the idea of ‘covert medication administration’ should be considered ethical as it produces the greatest overall balance of benefits and harms. The benefit may be seen as improved patient compliance with the medicine, with less of an issue concerning agitation, and somewhat of an improved safety protocol for both the patients and the healthcare workers. This could potentially aid in the outcome for patients as a result of taking their medication as prescribed. Utilitarians take into account the potential for trust to be broken between patients and healthcare professionals and the possibility of biases in treatment when considering the utility of an action. A utilitarian may argue that the benefits of a certain practice outweigh the harms, particularly in cases where the patient cannot make decisions or is unable to understand or consent to treatment. So to say, as long as the way they are conducting this practice is respectful, and the patient's wellbeing is the primary consideration, a utilitarian might suggest that covert medication administration is a justifiable means of achieving the greatest overall good for all parties

Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher who strongly believed in his moral theory, the categorical imperative, stating that an action is morally acceptable if the principle behind it can be universalized, or so that it could be made into a universal law of nature. According to Kant, individuals should act in such a way that we could will the maxim of our action to be a universal law, without exception. To break it down into simpler terms, this means that individuals should not act in ways that would be contradictory or impossible if applied universally. Applying this principle to the practice of covert medication administration, Kant may argue that doing so is not ethical as it involves the act of deception, which goes against the moral rule of honesty. Kant's categorical imperative mainly emphasizes that it is important to always treat people with respect and not use them just to achieve a goal. Deception, like in the case of covert medication administration, goes against this idea because it involves using someone else to reach a specific purpose, rather than respecting them as an end in themselves. Kant might also argue that the practice of covert medication administration somewhat undermines the patient's autonomy and does not respect their inherent dignity as rational