NHS FPX 4000 Assessment 3 Applying Ethical Principles

She would perform a risk-benefit analysis considering the consequences of each action and accordingly make a decision. Such a decision can prioritize the principle of non-maleficence and prevent potential harm to the patient as his colleague. As per her decision, she will implement an ethically sound action to resolve the dilemma and maintain her relationship with the client. There are several potential consequences of using effective, ethical decision-making approaches. Such an approach can assist healthcare providers in recognizing the risk earlier, allowing them to take preventive measures (Haddad & Geiger, 2023). Additionally, this approach reduces the risk of harm and maintains patient’s trust in providers and healthcare services.

Overall, ethical decision-making preserves patient safety and promotes their overall well-being. On the other hand, ineffective approaches may lead to poor decisions, unethical behaviors, legal reprimands for the providers, loss of patients’ trust, and damage to providers’ reputations.

Ethical Solution for the Case Study

This case study has a primary conflict between ethical principles of confidentiality and beneficence/non-maleficence. Dr. Simmons is bound to preserve the patient’s confidentiality, but her duty to protect the patients and their surroundings compels her to consider disclosing Alex’s thoughts to the colleague. A possible solution to this dilemma would be for Dr. Simmons to reveal Alex’s homicidal ideation to his colleague while also taking measures to protect Alex’s confidentiality and therapeutic coalition. This solution is based on the ethical principle of beneficence/non-maleficence, where healthcare providers must act in the best interest of patients and others around them, preventing the risk of harm (Varkey, 2020). Dr. Simmons should consider obtaining informed consent before disclosing the information to protect Alex’s confidentiality and maintain the therapeutic relationship. This action is based on the patient’s autonomy, where the patient’s willingness to share information and acquire help is essential. Healthcare providers must balance patients’ autonomy and right to safety (beneficence) (Cheraghi et al., 2023). This approach enables Dr. Simmons and other healthcare providers, in general, to navigate complex situations and make decisions aligning with ethical principles. This possible solution will establish a trustworthy and respectful impression of her in front of her colleagues, fostering collaboration within her organization. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, maintaining patients’ confidentiality and abiding by the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence is a continuous battle in the healthcare industry. In our case study, the patient had expressed homicidal ideation for his colleague, because of which Dr. Simmons had encountered an ethical dilemma. For this purpose, she used an effective, ethical decision-making model to ensure that an ethically sound and effective solution is derived. It is necessary to balance patient autonomy and beneficence and disclose information where needed appropriately to avoid breaching confidentiality and upholding therapeutic relationships.

References

Asan, O., Yu, Z., & Crotty, B. H. (2021). How clinician-patient communication affects trust in health information sources: Temporal trends from a national cross-sectional survey. PLOS ONE, 16(2), e0247583. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0247583