Fundamentals of Nursing Q 408
Successful ethical discussion depends on people who have a clear sense of personal values. When many people share the same values it may be possible to identify a philosophy of utilitarianism, with proposes that:
A. The value of people is determined solely by leaders in the Unitarian church.
B. The decision to perform a liver transplant depends on a measure of the moral life that the client has led so far.
C. The best way to determine the solution to an ethical dilemma is to refer the case to the attending physician.
D. The value of something is determined by its usefulness to society.
Correct Answer: D. The value of something is determined by its usefulness to society.
A utilitarian system of ethics proposes that the value of something is determined by its usefulness. Utilitarianism is a theory of morality, which advocates actions that foster happiness or pleasure and opposes actions that cause unhappiness or harm. When directed toward making social, economic, or political decisions, a utilitarian philosophy would aim for the betterment of society as a whole.
Option A: Utilitarianism is a theory of morality, which advocates actions that foster happiness and opposes actions that cause unhappiness. Utilitarianism promotes “the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people.”
Option B: As patient advocates, it’s our duty to ensure that our patients receive all of the necessary information, such as potential risks, benefits, and complications, to make well-informed decisions. The healthcare team can then formulate care in compliance with the patient’s wishes. Family members should refrain from making decisions for the patient or inflicting undue pressure to alter his or her decisions unless the patient is incapacitated or found to be legally incompetent.
Option C: Paternalism provides the power for healthcare professionals to make decisions to reveal or conceal a diagnosis, potential treatment modalities, or expected prognosis. An example of paternalism is when we admit an adolescent with multiple complete cervical spine fractures whose family is stating that the teen needs to participate in a state basketball championship in 3 months. The benefit of sharing the anticipated prognosis of quadriplegia at this time is far outweighed by the potential emotional trauma it may cause the family.