Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela

S.Y. 2020-2021

Gutierrez, Princess Jovelyn C. BSN2Y1-1B

ETHICS
1. A nurse and the physician are caring for a terminally ill man and that the man is in great
pain who is asking the doctor and the nurse for enough barbiturates to commit suicide.
What are the appropriate responses that the health care provided will take the based from
the moral development of Kohlberg?

Stages of Moral Development:

 Stage 1 Obedience and Punishment

The nurse will act accordingly to the rules of her profession. As a nurse she will only
administer the right and appropriate dosage of barbiturates to the patient that will not harm or put
the patient's life in danger. Also the healthcare providers can’t administer the drugs by patient’s
command for the nurse only obey the doctor's prescription and hospital protocols. She fears the
fact of breaking the rules of her profession might get her punished and her license will be null.
She will move accordingly to rule so she won't suffer the consequences

 Stage 2 Naively egotistical

Given the fact that the patient was already terminal ill, the physician and nurse may
consider giving him the barbiturates . Giving the huge dosage of barbiturates might end his life
yet will end his sufferings too. So the nurse might consider the probability or percentage of his
chance to live and I will inform his loved ones about his case and the healthcare providers can
recommend painless death which is euthanasia rather than barbiturates .

 Stage 3 Good Boy- Good Girl

In this stage healthcare providers feels pity for the patient they will set aside their profession and
will think as a fellow human being in their community. The nurse and the physician were
determined to grant the wish of the diseased man who can’t tolerate his pain anymore.
Considering the opinion of society the might give the barbiturates to the patient.

 Stage 4 Law and Social Order

 Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela
S.Y. 2020-2021

Law is to be followed and the nurse and physician will response in accordance of
the law. The healthcare providers will not grant the request in of the patient because
according to the law, “Barbiturates are controlled as class B drugs under the Misuse of
Drugs Act, the maximum penalty is 5 years imprisonment and a fine for possession and
14 years imprisonment and a fine for supply”. So their decision is not to give harm to the
patient for it was medical negligence by administering a drug knowing the fact that is
severely harmful to the patient. So if they will not follow the law it will cause huge chaos
on society.

 Stage 5 Legalistic Social Contract

Different perspective were involved here. They will ask the higher ups
,relatives ,and different people's opinion. The nurse thinks that many people are more
sensitive in this case and variety of values that is needed to be considered. Some people
agree to the patient's request so the pain will end however there are also people who value
his life and they don’t wan't the man to commit suicide. So the healthcare providers will
also deny the client’s request for there is a lot of people tell it’s not right to let a person
suicide .

 Stage 6 Universal Ethical Principles

The nurse and physician will act and decide according to their moral principle .
They will not give a high dosage of barbiturate to the man for the core of every nurse is
caring and the main goal of any physician is to treat and prescribed appropriate drug.
They will do everything they can to ease the pain somehow . It may be right to some or
wrong to many but they will act according to their defended principles.