Importance Of Ethics In Health Care Ethics

Module: Ethics and integrity for health professionals
Name: Alumai John Bosco
Reg No: 2016-MPH-RL-AUG-015
Submission date:
Assignment 1 (Revised)

Instructions:
• Answer both questions.
• The word limit including references is 1000 words
• Proper and complete referencing is expected for both questions.
• Plagiarism of any nature will lead to a zero mark
• Submit your assignment through the turnitin program.
• Acceptable similarity percentage is below 30%.
• A similarity index of above 30% gets a zero mark or a re-submission.
Questions
Question 1. Currently, most graduate programs include ethics education as part of their formal student learning outcomes. Using practical examples drawn from real world, explain why a graduate student

Health care ethics is a set of moral principles, values and believes that guides health professionals in making choices about medical care and health care in general. It possesses the basis of right and wrong which guides the duties we owe to others.
Below are the reasons why a graduate student should have formal education of health care ethics;

• Knowledge in health care ethics and integrity will help to stimulate my moral imaginations and thoughts that will help situation understanding and judgment
• To be conversant in health care ethics and integrity will help me as a public health professional in handling moral and ethical dilemma’s in day to day practice
• Knowledge in health care ethics will also instill a sense of responsibility in me as a public health practitioner
• To be well versed in health care ethics and integrity will boost my analytical skills and capacity that will help in recognizing and dealing with moral and ethical issues
• The common good for a patient or clients is very important in health care practice and this understanding comes from health care ethics
• Knowledge of health care ethics will public health professionals to understand medico-legal implications and how to address

Qn2.
As a public health practitioner; the ethical theory that suits and most times I will employ in my practice is utilitarianism.
In utilitarianism or consequentialists like public health practitioners believes in the common good for the majority of the population regardless of harm that might be caused to a few e.g. a few cases of paralysis realized after a mass vaccination with oral polio vaccine cannot rule out the fact that a million others have been saved from the same exercise and therefore stopping the exercise is neglect of duty.
The approach could lead to harm to some individuals as describe above however the overall objective is maximum benefit. It is based on evidence that is calculated, an example in the hospital setting could setting a target for the resuscitation of new borns or treatment given to cases of burn (degree of injury) based on the availability of time and resources.
There are two types of utilitarianism i.e. Act and Rule