Every doctor and nurse must have the skills and knowledge to communicate with people. Professionals not only create a treatment plan but also observe ethical principles. Ethics helps specialists act humanely, tactfully, and professionally, which positively affects the patients’ recovery. The fundamental principles of ethics that laid down the activities’ basis for medical personnel are nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, and autonomy (Varkey, 2021). This paper reflects the principle of nonmaleficence, which assumes doing no harm (DeCamp et al., 2018). Despite the importance and apparent universality of ethical principles, there are many controversial aspects in their application.
Medical workers have been a respected profession since ancient times, and some requirements had also arisen a long time ago. The principle of nonmaleficence is reflected in the Hippocratic oath in words, “First do no harm” (Summers, 2009, p. 41). According to Varkey (2021), this principle supports moral rules as not to kill, not to cause pain and suffering, not to inflict offense, and similar obligations. For me, this principle is the basis of practice and an action guide. Decision-making based on the assessment of potential consequences, benefits or harms, is critical. Moreover, the violation of nonmaleficence, in addition to the damage to health itself, can destroy the patient’s trust in medicine. As a result, if there are many such people, it threatens the reliability of health care and the nation’s health.
In practice, the principle of nonmaleficence must determine every action of a medical professional. It implies assessing the benefits and burden of potential treatment steps and choosing the best one for the patient (Varkey, 2021). This assessment is critical in complex bioethical dilemmas such as abortion, euthanasia, and similar issues. The problem is that in terms of different approaches, harm can imply various things (Summers, 2009). I most often apply this principle by offering the best treatment options, preserving patients’ confidential information, and respectfully communicating with them, considering their emotional condition. Violation of these rules can harm a person’s health and dignity.
Despite all the aspirations of specialists to comply with ethical principles, their workload and sometimes character can lead to a violation of nonmaleficence. I witnessed an example that included harm due to neglect. A patient confined to the bed could not move enough, and due to workload and fatigue, the staff did not pay enough attention to this problem. As a result, bed sores appeared that caused significant inconvenience and healed for a long time. The incident drew attention to the problem, and the administration took measures to eliminate it.
The established work structure significantly influences adherence to ethical principles in the hospital. For this reason, the critical responsibility of the health manager is to promote an ethical culture. To do this, one must set high standards displayed in the rules and give resources for their promotion. Moreover, providing resources for high-quality service delivery is part of promoting ethical practices. Staff care will also ensure a more optimal and professional approach to patients.
Thus, the compliance of medical personnel with ethical principles is vital for the high quality of services. The nonmaleficence principle means not causing harm and contributes to caring for patients and establishing trust in hospital staff. It implies the choice of the best treatment option for a patient exceeding the burden. However, the use of nonmaleficence is not always easy due to differing views on harm. Health managers need to ensure an appropriate work culture for staff commitment to ethics.
References
DeCamp, M., Pomerantz, D., Cotts, K., Dzeng, E., Farber, N., Lehmann, L., Reynolds, P.P., Sulmasy, L.S. & Tilburt, J. (2018). Ethical issues in the design and implementation of population health programs. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 33(3), 370-375. Web.
Summers, J. (2009). Principles of healthcare ethics. In Morrison, E. & Furlong, B. (Eds.) Health Care Ethics (2nd ed, pp. 41-58). Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Varkey, B. (2021). Principles of clinical ethics and their application to practice. Medical Principles and Practice, 30(1), 17-28. Web.