Makinano, Jubelle T.

BSN II – Health Care Ethics

Ethics, first of all, according to Pojman & Feiser (2011), is a branch of philosophy
which deals with how we ought to live life and how the world should function with
regards to the idea of good and surrounding concepts like right and wrong. It is usually
compared to three normative subjects, namely: religion, law, and etiquette.
Law is described to be a code of civil conduct constituted by a supreme authority
and allows for distinguishing actions that fall under right or wrong. It may also be
referred to as a set of rules which a community or country adheres to – a regulator of
citizens’ actions, which means it also includes different sanctions and penalties for
actions that may be considered as criminalities. It divided into two domains: Private
law, which deals with matters that do not concern the larger public, and public law, a
type of law that applies and concerns the people of the state.
For professionals, the law maintains a certain degree of standard and integrity
which must be upheld in practice at all times. This is because provisions of the law may
be directly or indirectly linked to practice hence the development of core ethical
principles. Imbibing these principles allow a health professional to continuously abide
in the law thus avoiding any untoward lawsuit or case. Knowledge of the law is also
important to be able to create a normal and orderly procedural standard to be followed
within the profession. It also espouses proper social etiquette and order that must be
observed by the profession. Ultimately, the law intends to preserve and further enhance
the quality of work ethic and standard within a profession. As healthcare professionals,
we must be engaged in a conscious and mindful observation of the law which means
constantly reevaluating ourselves and checking whether we are still at par with the
standards or have we fallen short. The quality that we seek and advocate as
professionals does not only rest within the standards that the law aims to endorse but
also, it is a responsibility that we must carry on a daily basis.
In the medical field, the law also allows us to separate our personal biases from
the cases and patients that we handle. It allows us to be more objective whilst still
maintaining rapport with the client and providing the optimum care – dura lex sed lex.
However, we must continually seek a balance with the law and critical analysis of
situations that come our way because law, though it might be law, is neither perfect nor
flawless; we must remain firmly ground on the core principles that must be accentuated
– salus populi suprema lex esto or “The good of the people shall be the supreme law.”
Ultimately, as healthcare professionals, who deal with situations that cross lines
between health, law, and ethics, we are responsible in enforcing the quality that is
sought after but also keeping in mind core ethical principles that allow the nursing
profession to be what it is.