How Ethical Dilemmas are Best Resolved in Health Care Issues

Resolving ethical dilemmas with commitment, care, compassion and concern

Ethical dilemmas are best resolved in health care issues, through the continuing commitment, care, compassion and concern of medical and health care professionals, whose moral and ethical standards are rooted or grounded in the love of God and humankind.

It is seldom only one voice that speaks, if or when, there are health care issues of concern. If or when there is just one voice, there is no dilemma. That single voice is the one that speaks to all concerned. That voice has the final authority in terms of ethical dilemma resolution. Right or wrong, that voice takes precedence.

Many times, it is a good thing that more than one voice that speaks out on behalf of humankind with regard to health care issues. This is one way of protecting human beings from what may ultimately prove to be unethical, one-sided or unorthodox decisions. Ethical dilemmas in health care tend to affect or involve more than one person. They are not just issues that relate to only one doctor and/or patient. If they were, that would simply their resolution to some extent.

Ethical dilemmas in health care issues can involve, as well as affect, the lives of many people. These kinds of issues often include numerous medical and health care professionals like other doctors, registered nurses, non-professional caregivers, as well as a patient's family members and friends.

Many times, there may be many other people involved from various levels of society. These include employers, teachers, co-workers, neighbors, students and friends who all must be taken into consideration, particularly when the ethical dilemma concerns them directly or even indirectly. For example, when there is an outbreak of an infection like the H1N1 virus, it can affect the lives of everyone, in some way.

Ethical dilemmas are not always simple health care issues that need to be resolved. For example, when there is a global economic crisis, obtaining the funding for health care becomes a complex scenario. Health care issues may not be just ethical dilemmas either. There may also be moral or legal aspects to consider in the decision-making process, as well as in the ultimate resolution of any health care issue. This may not be immediately apparent, at the time. In other words, many health care issues can be or become moral-ethical issues or moral-ethical-legal issues, rather than just ethical issues.

There is true ethics, as well as ethics that may prove to be pseudo-ethics or not true ethics at all. Similarly, there are true morals, as well as morals that may be pseudo-morals or not true morals.

Discernment is extremely important in the decision making process, particularly when it tends toward moral or legal process involvement. For example, ethical decisions may involve the norm of numbers, not morals or morality. In other words, if a large number of people are involved, the number of people may be what is considered, rather than the reality that what is happening may or may not be morally right.

Ideally, in the process of ethical resolution of health care issues, true morals set principles, guidelines and help to establish criteria for mandates of the future.

There are also earlier precedents established in terms of medical and health care issues. Those who are involved in the resolution of ethical dilemmas often have to consider any number of previous ethical resolutions, regarding issues of concern. There must also be some way to justify similar, subsequent acts of resolution that in turn, will have to be justified, at some time in the future.

Ethical dilemmas regarding health care issues are normally extremely complex and often multi-faceted. Many times, there are no simple answers and thus, they can involve many different or unique levels of professional concern. Right and wrong are not always immediately discernible, even to medical and health care professionals, when it comes to ethical dilemmas in health care. At the same time, the likelihood of medical and health care professionals being able to discern right or wrong is higher for them, than for other non-professionals, because that is their area of expertise.

The question of right or wrong is not always something that a patient and his or her family can discern immediately, either. This is often part of the dilemma too. Who or what is right may become a central question. Who has ultimate authority?

Ethical dilemmas in health care frequently involve life and death scenarios. There may be a question of quantity of life versus quality of life. Often for these kinds of situations there are no easy answers.

It is the ongoing commitment, care, compassion and concern of health care professionals that ultimately leads to effective moral-ethical and legal resolutions.

In every country of the world, human beings love one another. That in itself is an amazing reality. How can that be possible? That question, one may not be able to answer, but we can rest assured knowing that it is true. Tragically, there is the opposite or the non-love of others that is evident, as well.

A measure of the degree of love that human beings have for one another, is evident when there are ethical dilemmas in health care that are effectively resolved by medical and health care professionals. This often leads to future mandates in health care that prove to benefit humankind on a global scale.

For those who are involved in personal or family ethical dilemmas in health care, it is always a good idea to seek advice from your own doctor first. He or she will be able to refer you to other medical or health care professionals or others, as necessary.

Education about health care dilemmas is important for everyone who is involved and thus, it is a good idea to research any area of legitimate concern. Many times, there are plausible solutions that can lead to effective ethical, as well as appropriate moral and legal resolution.

You and others can help to find answers, even though at times, they may not be easy to find. Ask yourself if there is ongoing commitment, care, compassion and concern evident in the resolution of any health care issues that you or your family members are involved in because this is extremely important. Remember that your health care, as well as that of others, including your family and friends, is at stake, too. What happens in your scenario may affect the lives of others in the future, as well.

Become a pro-active advocate of ethical decisions in health care, but always remember to include the moral and legal aspects of the decision making process as guidelines. Teach others to do the same.