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Movie Review
Joulla Ornopia

JOHN Q
1. What is the ethical dilemma that John Q faces in this movie?
The movie’s ethical dilemma focuses on money. Their problem
arises when John Q’s son; Mike was diagnosed with an enlarged
heart when he fainted in the middle of his baseball game. They
were given two options and that is to conduct a heart transplant
or to optimize the remaining time left in the world. As a parent of
course they want to choose the option where Mike’s life has a
chance to be prolonged. But then John Q found out that his
insurance can’t cover the operation and transplant expenses. And
to make things worse, the hospital has a rule that the patient’s
name won’t be on the transplant list unless they deposited the
needed money.

2.Do you think everyone has the right to proper health care? Do you
believe that it is the responsibility of the government to provide
every citizen with accessible health care? Why or why not?
Yes, everyone has the right to have access to proper health care,
no matter what status in life, gender, age, or color of skin they
have. It’s the government’s responsibility to make it happen by
making transparent laws regarding healthcare providing and
honest/proper allocation of budget for healthcare facilities so
that everyone will be able to obtain appropriate service/s.

3.Do you think the rights of the hostages are violated? Should their
rights be neglected to save the boy?
The rights of the hostages were violated by locking them in the
hospital and not allowing them to leave or do anything within
the facility of the emergency room. Their rights shouldn’t be
neglected to save John Q’s child because they are not associated
with their family/financial problem in any possible way.
 Movie Review JOHN Q
4.What is the ethical dilemma that the cardiac surgeon faces at the
end of the movie?
Dr. Turner (cardiac surgeon) faces an ethical dilemma when he is
deciding between letting John Q sacrifice his life to save his son
by giving up his own heart but then Dr. Turner’s career would be
at stake if he would choose this decision, or to let Mike die and
secure his career as a medical practitioner.

5.Is John Q. Archibald (Denzel Washington) a good person –an

ethical person? Explain. What is it that sets him apart from others?
Relate your answer based on the Deontological or Teleological
Theories
I think John Q. is a good person, he is a very loving father to his
son. But the extent of his action of taking a hostage in exchange
for medical assistance is unethical. In our lesson, it’s stated that
the goal of consequentialism is the greatest good for the greatest
number but the action that John have taken was focused on
saving his son he didn’t consider the feelings and situation of
those people who are in the emergency room. He is only thinking
that if held them hostage someone might help them. It’s not that
I can’t sympathize with his situation it’s just that John Q is a good
person trapped in an evil system. Many factors led him to make
such bad decisions but this doesn’t justify his actions.
 Movie Review JOHN Q
3.“Rules are made to be broken” on your opinion what does this
statement mean? Do you find your example related to ethical
issues?
I think the statement means that if we don’t have any alternative
options in making a decision then we should resort to breaking
the rules. For example, this happened to me before when the
child was not allowed to enter the public hospital because of
possible diseases that we can catch but at that time my mother
gave birth to my younger brother and I am with my
grandmother to visit, and then at the entrance of the hospital the
guard saw me accompanying and holding my grandmother and
she let us in. Although it was not allowed to let me in she allow
my grandmother to be safely accompanied to the hospital. She
can also do the accompanying but then she can’t leave her place
because their many people lined up at the entrance and other
hospital personnel is busy doing their duties that’s why she
allowed me to enter but then warned us that I should be quick
because it’s dangerous in the hospital. I think my example is an
ethical issue because that guard was conflicted about weather to
let us in or not.
In the practice of nursing, I think it's fine as long as we don’t bring
harm to others. As long as the consequence of our action has
more benefits than negative impact (beneficence) because it is
part of a nurse’s ethical principle to avoid causing harm to the
patients (non-malificence) and ensure that we give them the
best medical service that we can offer.