Nursing Ethics Issues - Assignment Example

The contemporary world has witnessed the attack of new and fatal diseases, which has forced medical scientists to devise medicines to combat such diseases. These include HPV, HIV, hepatitis, and others. HPV (human papillomavirus) is, like HIV, a contagious disease and is common all over the world. However, its treatment is extremely expensive. Since the infection spreads due to extramarital sexual relationships and sexual intercourse, the deontological ethical code condemns it and lays stress upon the observing of moral values for the prevention of sexual diseases. Hence, it views the high price of the remedy and treatment for sexually contagious diseases. It is therefore it does not look for a decrease in the price of such medicines. However, the utilitarian school of thought vehemently supports such acts and behavior that provide gratification to individuals provided it does not harm or hurt others. Hence, utilitarians think that the remedy for sexually transmitted diseases must also be economical and easily available. Hence, there are two schools of thought that lay influence the promotion of government interventions in social, cultural, and health conditions. These are Evangelicals (or deontological) and the Utilitarians. Utilitarianism is a sociological school of thought where the works and ideas of a renowned political scientist and lawyer Jeremy Bentham maintain lion’s share. The idea looks for the concept of the greatest happiness of the greatest number of people. Renowned English theorist J.S. Mill also serves as the arch-supporter of the utilitarian school of thought and thinks that every man’s act must provide maximum pleasure for others. And if an act is not damaging the interests of others, society should not create impediments on the way to seeking pleasure. He stands for the qualitative separation of happiness and considers moral and intellectual pleasure superior to physical pleasures. “The greatest happiness principle has had a large share in forming the moral doctrines even of those who even more scornfully reject its authority.” (Mill, 1863:8) Hence, the utilitarian approach looks for reducing the cost of the treatment of HPV, to make it affordable as the medicines for HIV treatment are economical and affordable. Since society must be healthy and fit, it should be allowed to get into pleasure-seeking activities provided they are not harming the other members of society. On the contrary, the deontological school of thought is of the view that infectious diseases including HPV, HIV, and others are transmitting the fatal disease to others; they are putting the lives of others in grave jeopardy. Hence, if people are aware of the high price of the medicine, they would start avoiding sexual activity without using contraception including condoms, loops, and others.

Since Howard has arrived at the clinic for treatment, he must be provided with adequate medical advice. Consequently, the nurse should certainly attend to him and should provide him with first aid according to his condition. Although Howard was insisting on providing the treatment of his own choice, the nurse on duty is bound to request the patient to take medicine and treatment based on his present health condition. Since the patient’s claim regarding his treatment and his physical state of affairs creates conflict, the nurse has to consult the doctor in this respect before taking any further steps. It is not part of her professional duty to comply with the commands of the patient; as such actions may turn out to be dangerous on the one hand, and even can take his life. Thus, the nurse should explain the possible effects of such medicine particularly in a situation where his blood pressure is touching a dangerous point. Though her disclosing the harms of medicine may be fatal in respect of her job as well as for the reputation of the physician and clinic as well, however, it is her moral and ethical obligation to explain every possible outcome of the use of the recommended treatment at the eve of adverse blood pressure situation. Thus, she will have to consult her superior immediately to provide quick and advisable treatment to Howard to save him from the possible risk haunting his life in the present health situation.