NUR 512 Module 5 Discussion Ethical Dilemma Discussion Five: Describe a situation of ethical dilemma you have experienced in practice and how it was resolved.

I have faced many moral problems in my work but have found ways to solve them. In healthcare work, an ethical problem is when two or more choices are against each other. Each choice has a good reason, but picking one can hurt the values of another morality idea (Varkey, 2020). These problems usually come from disagreements between being kind, not harming others and letting people make their own choices. They also involve fairness and ensuring that everyone involved knows the facts before they agree to something. Doctors can make people anxious and unsure when patient health, rights, and access to care are at risk with no clear right answer. For patients and families, the outcomes of such dilemmas can negatively impact their physical or mental well-being, trust in the healthcare system, and satisfaction with received care. At their worst, unresolved ethical dilemmas may result in litigation or complaints that damage professional reputations and provider-patient relationships. Therefore, such situations must be recognized early and managed through open communication and multidisciplinary collaboration to find acceptable solutions.

I found out that a patient in their 60s had high blood pressure and cholesterol. After discussing treatment, the patient said they could not pay for their medicine. This caused a moral problem between my job to help patients’ sicknesses and their small money power. If not treated, their blood pressure and cholesterol can cause more serious health problems such as heart attack or stroke. But giving them medicines that they could not afford was just as wrong. After thinking about choices like normal drugs or help with paying for medicine, no quick fixes were found to make treatment cheap. I consulted with my collaborating physician and a hospital social worker to explore additional resources such as free clinics, prescription drug discount cards, or a long-term payment plan. Through multiple discussions, we developed a solution where the hospital agreed to cover half the medication costs for six months, allowing time to apply for programs to obtain sustainable treatment that addressed the patient’s health and my ethical duty of care.

I used several ways to resolve the ethical dilemma. One way was to sign the patient up for medical help from drug companies. Many programs give medicine at low cost or even for free to people with little money, no insurance, or insufficient insurance. They must meet certain rules first (NC Department of Health and Human Services, 2023). By filling out the forms with the patient, I might have helped them get help to pay for all of their medical treatment costs. A second option was to work with the hospital’s financial aid department to see if the patient qualifies for charity care coverage. Many hospitals offer financial assistance policies to lower healthcare costs for those unable to pay. An application for charity care may entirely or partially cover office visits, lab work, medications, and other services for a set period. This could address immediate treatment needs and provide time to explore additional long-term solutions. As a third resolution, I could refer the patient to a free or low-cost community health clinic for ongoing primary care management and prescription filling. Some clinics partner with social services to help uninsured patients get medications at no or minimal charge. While this may not be as convenient as one-stop care, it could effectively treat the patient’s conditions in the short term through a multi-pronged approach until more permanent insurance or financial assistance is obtained.

NC Department of Health and Human Services (2023). Medication Assistance Program | NCDHHS. Ncdhhs.gov. https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/office-rural-health/office-rural-health-programs/medication-assistance-program

Links to an external site. Varkey, B. (2020). Principles of Clinical Ethics and Their Application to Practice. Medical Principles and Practice, 30(1), 17–28. https://doi.org/10.1159/000509119