EMILIO AGUINALDO COLLEGE

SCHOOL OF NURSING
Arcusa, Leona Patrina D. BIOETHICS
BSNursing 2-1 Assignment 3

Considered as an ethical principle, distributive justice refers to what society or a larger

group owes its individual members in proportion to:
1) The individual’s needs, contribution and responsibility;
2) The resources available to the society or organization
3) The society’s or organization’s responsibility to the common good.

In the context of health care, distributive justice requires that everyone receive equitable
access to the basic health care necessary for living a fully human life insofar as there is
a basic human right to health care.

INSTRUCTION: Based on the concept of distributive justice and in the light of the
current situation in health care delivery system, as a future nurse, write your views on
the following:
1. How should we share our healthcare resources?
We should share our healthcare resources using some programs about health
care. We can also say that the barangay health care workers share their health care
resources by giving free vaccines, free consultations, free contraceptives and
medicines. Sharing of all health care resources should be based on the individual’s
needs. As a nurse, we should not give or share a healthcare resource evenly on all the
patients we will encounter. Because not all these patients have equal needs. Of course,
they have their different situations and complications.
2. How do we share out our time with patients?
Our time with patients should be equal. Regardless of who is the patient, where
he/she came from, or what his/her illness is. We should not do favouritism. Of course
there is always prioritization and that is ok. But favouritism is unacceptable. We give
equal time and care to our patients because they should be equal in our eyes. We give
care to them to ease the pain they’ve been going through. We do not give care to our
patients because they have something to give in return; we give care to them because
that is our duty, and we care for their health and their well-being. Just a simple smile
and thanks from those we have helped is the simplest but warmest thing a nurse could
receive. To see your patients recover from his/her illness because of your care is
beyond satisfactory.
3. What should patients get…
A. an equal share?
B. Just enough to meet their needs?
 C. What they deserve?
D. What they can pay for?
I could agree to all of this, but there are some limitations. Patients should get an
equal share of the healthcare resources but it should be based on what they need, so
that the others who really need it can have a share. Patients should get just enough to
meet their needs, because again, we cannot afford to share many to an individual if that
means the others will be left nothing. As for the last one, patients should get what they
can pay for, but it is only applicable for those patients who has the power, who is rich,
who has the money to pay as many as they can to assure their health. We should not
give poor health care to those people who cannot pay as expensive as the others. We
should always remember that no matter who is your patient, either rich, politician,
average person, or below average. They are all the same when it comes to health
problems. They all need care.
From all of this, there is only one (for me) that is applicable to all. Either you are
rich or poor or even adult or child. I believe that a patient should get what they deserve,
not because of the amount they payed, but because of what their condition is. Because
of what they need.