Ethical Decision Making in Health Care Term Paper

Ethical Decision Making in Health Care - Term Paper Example An example of one of these ways that can be useful in making decisions that are ethical and appropriate is the use of the Down Model. This model of making ethical decision was established and presented by Down and his colleagues who came up with a step- by- step method of helping professionals in making decisions that are ethical. The Down Model specifically provides professionals with ways to address challenges that affect the solving of professional problems ethically, since it closely resembles or relates to those found in the medical imaging profession. This model is made of at least six steps, which have been adjusted for the appropriate use by the user in responding to a number of hypotheticals. This paper will utilize the Down Model to address or to respond to two particular cases by analyzing them and solving them through the use of the six steps in the Down model. Before looking at the specific cases, it is essential that we look at and familiarize ourselves with the six ste ps of the Down Model. The first step in the model is the step that deals with assessing the problem by considering what ethical contexts are present in which the situation took place. This step requires the user to determine what kind of ethical challenge took place- ethical dilemma of justice, ethical dilemma, locus of authority issue or ethical distress. The second step requires the user to isolate the issues. During this point, the user must be able to differentiate the issues that are essential to the situation from those that are not as essential. The user must also determine what values should be utilized. The user of the model should, at this stage, consider which ethical principles the cases or situations involve or use, they must also consider which rights an organization is violating or compromising, and which area or principle of the profession’s code of conduct or ethics covers the behavior in the situation. The third step of the model involves the user analyzing the data. It is during this stage that the user separates al the pertinent information from the pure conjecture. In this stage, the user should only examine the facts that relate to the problem and eliminate the rest. The fourth stage of the Down model involves the development of an action plan by the user. During this stage, the user makes a decision depending on what options are available for addressing the problem. The last essential stage in the model is the institution of the plan, which involves the user proceeding with the implementation of the solution. The first case that we are going to look at in this case is the first case is Case 1, which deals with the medical imaging professional. The case tells us that the supervisor and the co- workers of the medical imaging professional have been suspecting that the individual has a problem controlling his drinking problem. The person in question comes to work with breath that smells of alcohol, with a compromised gait, and speech that is slightly slurred. The supervisor pulled him aside recently, as a result of these observations, and was able to confirm the signs that he had noticed earlier. The supervisor then warns the professional that according to the substance abuse policy that the observations that he has made are enough to warrant for a drug test, and requests that the imaging professional must undergo a blood test for confirmation. The imaging professional, however, refuses to do as directed. The question here is whether the way the professional acted was a way of insubordination or whether making him go for the test would be a violation of the rights of the