Ethical Dilemma

in a Respiratory Therapy Case

An ethical dilemma is a situation in which there is a
choice to be made between two options, neither of
which resolves the situation in an ethically acceptable
fashion.
 Your Picture Here Your Picture Here

Ethical Dilemma
in a Respiratory Therapy Case

CASE: A 4-year old girl is brought to the

hospital after an asthma attack. Her
father admits to smoking in their
apartment which is very small and
Your Picture Here Your Picture Here
confined.
ETHICAL DILEMMA:
As a respiratory therapist who knows the
adverse effects of smoking on a young
asthma patient, you must choose from:
A. Call child welfare or;
B. Advice the father to stop and give
him a comprehensive discussion on
how smoking can worsen the child’s
condition.
Stakeholders
Stakeholders are defined as anyone who is
impacted by a decision-maker's decision.

Patients
The patients’ lives are
always at risk, especially
when it comes to making
decisions. Hence, it is very
important to consider the
factors that may affect not
only the decision-making
process, but the patient as Investors
well.
This arises from the
tarnished name of the
hospital. Potential investors
Physicians are now skeptical of
investing in the hospital
In a situation where and current investors may
medical malpractice pull out their shares in the
occurs, the physician on company.
duty will not be the only
one to take the blame.
Making the wrong decision
may tarnish the reputation
of the hospital and its
employees.
Solution
01 Relevant Facts
 The patient suffers from asthma which is can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing;
 Smoking can cause asthma attacks to happen more often.

02 Ethical Issues
 Patient’s rights  Conflict of interest
 Informed Consent  Patient safety

03 Primary Stakeholders
 Patient – the decision will determine the state of the patient’s health condition.
 Physicians – making the wrong decision may tarnish the name of the physician and the hospital.

04 Possible Alternatives
 Conduct seminars on the cons of cigarette smoking that the father can attend and learn from.
 Find a space for smoking near the apartment so the father can smoke outside instead.

05 Ethics of Each Alternative

 Since he is the legal guardian of the child, informed consent is important. By conducting
seminars, it is possible for the father to pick up information that will convince him to stop.

06 Practical Constraints
 Conducting an impulsive seminar just because of only one person will be a hassle
and so is looking for a smoking space near the apartment.

07 Final Alternative
 Conduct seminars on the cons of cigarette smoking that the father can attend and learn from.
Code of Ethics

Provide care without

discrimination on any Promote disease Refuse to participate
basis, with respect for prevention and in illegal or unethical
the rights and dignity wellness.  acts. 
of all individuals. 

Respect and protect Demonstrate behavior

the legal and personal
rights of patients,
including the right to
privacy, informed
consent, and refusal
of treatment. .
Seek continuing education that reflects integrity,
opportunities to improve supports objectivity,
and maintain their
professional competence
and fosters trust in the
and document their profession and its
participation accurately.  professionals.

With these code of ethics, employees are able to handle ethical dilemmas that they encounter at work. In
this particular scenario, having a code of ethics contributed to the decision making process, especially in
considering legalities and moral codes. With this, making a decision was easier and more realistic.

Stony Brook School of Health Technology and Management. AARC Code of Ethics. Stony Brook, NY, n.d.
Retrieved from https://healthtechnology.stonybrookmedicine.edu/programs/rc/ethics
SUMMARY
SOLUTION: Advice the father to stop and give him a comprehensive discussion on how smoking
can worsen the child’s condition.

In the given scenario where a 4-year old girl is sent to the emergency room due to an asthma attack,

I believe that the best and most ethical solution would be giving advice to the father. If it happens

that he does not listen to the RT on duty, the best alternative would be conducting seminars on

cigarette smoking and its adverse effects on asthma patients. Out of the two solutions I presented,

this came out to be the one that follows the Code of Ethics. It does not only comply with the ethical

issues the RT might face, but it also provides room for the father to learn and own up to his own

ethical mistakes. Since the first solution would result to an issue in informed consent, it would be

best to educate the father first. Otherwise, the latter would be done in order to save the patient’s life.