Patient Ethical Dilemmas

When a medical professional faces an ethical dilemma, such as the one mentioned above, there is a code of ethics established (that helps them properly respond to their ethical situation). This code of ethics is an embedded standard of rules within a respective medical professional organization. Code of ethics are used to guide medical staff on how on how to behave and approach an ethical dilemma respects the right of the patient, but also ensures the doctor’s ethics how preserving life. These professional ethics were created through principals (such as, non-maleficence- a physician’s obligation of first, do no harm’ to a patient and beneficence-providing benefits and balancing them against risks to a patient of specific treatment). These ethical theories were decided through

According to Gorge D. Pozgar, The Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990…made a significant advance in the protection of the rights of patients to decisions…regrading medical care, including the right to accept or refuse medical or surgical treatment and the right to formulate advance directives”(G.D. Pozgar, 2012, pg.336). However, state courts are able to intervene in emergency situations where issues of preservation of life is needed (as a result of a patient being incompetent in making his/her own decision). In addition, patients of guardian’s also have the right to refuse lifesaving procedures are also based on broader principles of ethics. This principles include, autonomy (‘a patient’s or guardian’s right to refuse or receive medical treatment’), self-determination (‘every human adult with a sound mind has right to choose to do what he/she want to do their body’), informed consent (patient having the right to know potential risks benefits and procedures of treatment), right to privacy (protection of patients’ medical information) and religious belief exemptions (G.D. Pozgar, 2012, pg.336, 341 and