XAVIER UNIVERSITY – ATENEO DE CAGAYAN

NCM 108 ACTIVITY 10 NCM 108 (BIOETHICS)

CLINICAL INSTRUCTOR: MR. FRANCIS EDMUND ORTIZ
Module 6

Kristofer Dan A. Trugillo May 12, 2022

BSNF-2
Justice Activity 1
The Choice
It was a toxic night at the emergency room and the remaining ICU beds are down to
two open beds. Around 2:00 AM, three wounded patients were rushed into the emergency
room. All of them were involved in an illegal drug buy bust shoot-out. One of them was
an undercover policeman and the others were the two illegal drug peddlers. All three
appear to be in critical condition and badly needs the services of the ICU.

1. What do you think is the issue of this case? Explain your answer.
Based on the given situation, there were three critically wounded patients that were
presumed to be involved in a crime. These patients were rushed to the emergency room
and needed ICU services, but there were only two beds left available. With that limitation
in mind, I believe the main issue in this case is that the hospital has reached its maximum
bed capacity in the ICU facility, so there is a challenge as to what to do with the patient
who will not be catered to with ICU services. Therefore, the challenge narrows down to
the question of what actions the healthcare provider should take with the client when he
is unable to get ICU treatment.

2. How would you decide the issue of this case? Explain your answer.
In a primary sense, every person has a right to health and medical care corresponding
to his state of health, without any discrimination and within the limits of the resources,
manpower and competence available for health and medical care at the relevant time.
The patient has the right to appropriate health and medical care of good quality. In the
course of such, his human dignity, convictions, integrity, individual needs and culture shall
be respected. If any person cannot immediately be given treatment that is medically
necessary, he shall, depending on his state of health, either be directed to wait for care,
or be referred or sent for treatment elsewhere, where the appropriate care can be
provided. If the patient must wait for care, he shall be informed of the reason for the delay.
Patients in emergency shall be extended immediate medical care and treatment without
any deposit, pledge, mortgage, or any form of advance payment for treatment.

Because the patient is in critical condition, the term implies that the client need
intensive care and careful monitoring. Instead of making the client wait for the ICU facility
to be available, we should take the client to another institution that has an available ICU
facility so that the client can receive direct interventions and care. Furthermore, we must
avoid delays in delivering management and therapies to our clients, particularly those in
urgent condition. Even though the patient is involved in a criminal case, they have the
right to medical attention when they require it, therefore there are no exceptions to
providing appropriate healthcare.