As a health care manager in today’s industry, your values and ethics will guide your daily decisions.
Discuss the following questions with the class:
What impact do individual values have on ethical decision-making? Provide an example.
What may change an individual’s values or ethics? Provide an example.
Full Answer Section
Example:
A healthcare manager is faced with a decision about whether or not to allow a patient to refuse a life-saving treatment. The manager's personal values play a role in this decision. If the manager values patient autonomy, they are more likely to respect the patient's right to refuse treatment, even if they believe that the treatment is in the patient's best interest.
What may change an individual's values or ethics? Provide an example.
An individual's values and ethics can change over time. This can be due to a number of factors, including:
- Personal experiences. Personal experiences can shape our values and ethics. For example, a healthcare manager who cares for a patient with a chronic illness may develop a greater appreciation for the importance of patient autonomy.
- Education can also help to shape our values and ethics. For example, a healthcare manager who takes a course on ethics may develop a more sophisticated understanding of ethical principles.
- Culture can also influence our values and ethics. For example, a healthcare manager who works in a culture that values patient autonomy may be more likely to support patient autonomy in their own practice.
Example:
A healthcare manager who works in a culture that values efficiency may initially be more focused on meeting budget and staffing goals than on patient autonomy. However, after caring for a patient who has a negative experience due to a lack of patient autonomy, the manager may develop a greater appreciation for the importance of patient autonomy and make changes to their practice to support patient autonomy.
Conclusion
Individual values and ethics have a significant impact on ethical decision-making. Healthcare managers should be aware of their own values and ethics and how they influence their decision-making. Healthcare managers should also be open to having their values and ethics challenged and to changing their values and ethics over time in response to new information and experiences.
Sample Answer
Individual values have a significant impact on ethical decision-making. Values are the beliefs and principles that guide our behavior. They influence how we see the world and how we make decisions.
For example, a healthcare manager who values patient autonomy may be more likely to support a patient's right to refuse treatment, even if the manager believes that the treatment is in the patient's best interest.
Another example is a healthcare manager who values honesty. This manager may be more likely to disclose all of the information about a patient's condition to the patient, even if the information is negative.