Film Summary
This analysis proposes a discussion of the ethical principles found when watching the movie Philadelphia. This movie describes the story of Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks), who was fired from a large law firm in Philadelphia due to AIDS and his gay orientation (Demme, 1993). Andrew manages to convince Joe Miller (Denzel Washington) to represent his interests in court, and much of the movie is a demonstration of a trial with broad social implications for HIV/AIDS patients and sexual minority people.
Ethical Principles Revealed in the Film
The first ethical principle is justice, the film’s central theme: the protagonist fights for justice, along with Miller, by suing the company executives who fired Beckett for sexual orientation and illness. The second ethical principle is equality, which implies that all people have equal rights and guarantees of benefits regardless of sexual orientation or health status — this principle is particularly vividly revealed when Andrew, despite his illness and being a sexual minority, still strives for equality.
The third principle is empathy, as Joe Miller was initially prejudiced and biased towards the protagonist and feared contracting AIDS through a handshake. Nevertheless, the social advocate showed empathy and supported Beckett by serving as his legal representative in court. I think the ethical principle of justice is prioritized because it serves as the foundation for all other principles. Without basic and unconditional justice, neither empathy nor equality is possible; thus, justice is paramount.
The Role of Nurses in Executing Ethical Principles
The principles described apply not only to the characters but also to the practicing nurse. Nurses are often the first people a patient interacts with — and the extent to which feelings of fairness, empathy, and equality are developed determines the quality and outcomes of care (Varkey, 2021). Nurse practitioners are often patient advocates and serve as a bridge between healthcare providers and patients, helping patients’ needs and interests be realized (ANA, 2019). They are responsible for providing continuous patient support, considering their complaints and desires, and ensuring they feel heard (Cho et al., 2021). There should be no boundaries for nursing practice, and care should be provided to patients from different ethnic, cultural, gender, and sexual backgrounds.
Ultimately, nurses are among the critical agents of change in clinical settings, and the success of implementing organizational transformations that promote patient well-being depends on their efforts (Harrison et al., 2021). Hence, nurses must listen to, respect, and support patients and provide professional services to achieve better patient outcomes.
References
ANA. (2019). American Nurses Association code of ethics for nurses.
Cho, H., Han, K., & Ryu, E. (2021). Unit work environment, psychological empowerment and support for patient activation among nurses. Journal of Nursing Management, 29(6), 1623-1630.
Demme, J. (1993). Philadelphia. TriStar Pictures.
Harrison, R., Fischer, S., Walpola, R. L., Chauhan, A., Babalola, T., Mears, S., & Le-Dao, H. (2021). Where do models for change management, improvement and implementation meet? A systematic review of the applications of change management models in healthcare. Journal of Healthcare Leadership, 13, 85-108.
Varkey, B. (2021). Principles of clinical ethics and their application to practice. Medical Principles and Practice, 30(1), 17-28.