Essay A
Paternalism is a situation which the decisions or actions of someone are made by another person, in attempts to keep their safety or best interest at hand. (Vaughn, 2013, p. 71). As a Registered Nurse I have seen instances of medical paternalism, such as a mental health patient deemed as a harm to themselves and/or to society. Patients in this situation are “pink slipped”, allowing the physicians caring for them to make all necessary medical decisions to aid in their treatment back to wellness. This situation arises more frequently than any other situation of medical paternalism, in my experience. During these cases, the patient is admitting to the intent to harm themselves or someone else. Because of the admission, many patients in …show more content…
(Vaughn, 2013, p. 93). The moral argument for medical paternalism is one which Goldman breaks down into a five-premise outline. In attempts to reject the argument, he states that one of the five premise must be rejected. Goldman turns his attention to the third premise which states that patients who seek medical treatment have the common goal of improving health and living a long life. This premise can be considered for rejection when contemplating situations which would be true if this premise were true. Situations include: those which medical expertise would undoubtedly be the decisive factor when determining treatment methods for interventions, a common goal of reducing risk and attempts to promote health and prolong life, and in deciding what criteria determined health and a life worth being prolonged. (Vaughn, 2013, p. …show more content…
Having worked in the healthcare setting and seeing many patient scenarios I have often contemplated whether a longer life is justified if the quality is lesser. The question of quality versus quantity has been part of casual conversation with many of my healthcare colleagues. We have been witness to patients kept alive solely by machinery for the extension of life. Their quality of life having depleted during this time period; needing assistance with simple activities of daily living, such as: nourishment, bathing, turning and repositioning, and bathroom assistance. Personally, these are tasks which I would never want someone I love to feel responsible, or to witness a healthcare provider perform these tasks for me on a routine basis. The conversation often returns to the fact that no human can 100% of the time predict the outcome of the patient - because there are the scenarios where a patient in a coma miraculously returns to leading an independent life. While this situation can occur, it is very unlikely. The thought of having someone else make medical decisions on my behalf because I am incapable makes me uneasy. While I have seen situations where medical paternalism seems necessary, specifically with mental health patients, I have seen scenarios where medical paternalism
Paternalism is a situation which the decisions or actions of someone are made by another person, in attempts to keep their safety or best interest at hand. (Vaughn, 2013, p. 71). As a Registered Nurse I have seen instances of medical paternalism, such as a mental health patient deemed as a harm to themselves and/or to society. Patients in this situation are “pink slipped”, allowing the physicians caring for them to make all necessary medical decisions to aid in their treatment back to wellness. This situation arises more frequently than any other situation of medical paternalism, in my experience. During these cases, the patient is admitting to the intent to harm themselves or someone else. Because of the admission, many patients in …show more content…
(Vaughn, 2013, p. 93). The moral argument for medical paternalism is one which Goldman breaks down into a five-premise outline. In attempts to reject the argument, he states that one of the five premise must be rejected. Goldman turns his attention to the third premise which states that patients who seek medical treatment have the common goal of improving health and living a long life. This premise can be considered for rejection when contemplating situations which would be true if this premise were true. Situations include: those which medical expertise would undoubtedly be the decisive factor when determining treatment methods for interventions, a common goal of reducing risk and attempts to promote health and prolong life, and in deciding what criteria determined health and a life worth being prolonged. (Vaughn, 2013, p. …show more content…
Having worked in the healthcare setting and seeing many patient scenarios I have often contemplated whether a longer life is justified if the quality is lesser. The question of quality versus quantity has been part of casual conversation with many of my healthcare colleagues. We have been witness to patients kept alive solely by machinery for the extension of life. Their quality of life having depleted during this time period; needing assistance with simple activities of daily living, such as: nourishment, bathing, turning and repositioning, and bathroom assistance. Personally, these are tasks which I would never want someone I love to feel responsible, or to witness a healthcare provider perform these tasks for me on a routine basis. The conversation often returns to the fact that no human can 100% of the time predict the outcome of the patient - because there are the scenarios where a patient in a coma miraculously returns to leading an independent life. While this situation can occur, it is very unlikely. The thought of having someone else make medical decisions on my behalf because I am incapable makes me uneasy. While I have seen situations where medical paternalism seems necessary, specifically with mental health patients, I have seen scenarios where medical paternalism