Taking a Stand: Ethical Construct and Leadership Style
Introduction
In every day’s operation particularly in the working environment, individuals are subjected to a moral, legal and ethical problem. In the health care sector, healthcare professionals are attacked with differentiated dilemmas in regard to medical technologies that facilitate and prolong patient’s life, patients’ rights and leader’s role in different scenarios (Walker, 2011). These are some of the issues that nag the professionals and in most cases bid them a lovely night on every day’s bulletin. In some of the severe cases, these issues have compromised healthcare and individual’s careers. In addition, handling the moral and ethical issues is usually difficult. However, there are several issues and forces that drive the general capability of such issues and the most certain thing is that the issues need to be resolved. As a moral leader and an agent, one should own profound acquaintance in the ethical and the moral surrounding of these considerations (Walker, 2011). Thus, it is without a doubt that most corporations hold their ethical, legal as well as moral standards that are objected at preventing and also regulating the general occurrence of such issues. This paper provides a description of leadership style and ethical construct within a healthcare setting, an encountered ethical dilemma and the advocated role as a moral leader.
Moral can best be described as those values that are linked to a belief’s organization which might be a religious, social or political base. On the other hand, ethics refers to the application of these beliefs while making organizational related decisions. Ethics can best be described as behavioral standards that guide individuals on how they are expected to act in regard to many scenarios (Agarwal, 2017). Decisions regarding choosing the right as well as the immoral things are present in every day’s operations. In that ethics is based on all the life’s stages which necessitate behaving well around others, the creation of favorable organizations and creating a more ethical modern society. It is apparent that making choices in regard to the desirable and wrong things proves to be quite challenges given that it necessitates the capability of creating a balance amid losses, consequences and the actions associated benefits. Setting for positive decisions necessitates a knowledge and well-trained sensitivity in regard to ethical issues while weighing aspects and accounts that affect the different choices of such actions course. Owning a strategy that seeks to make ethical decisions is fundamental given that the familiarity of the method one is able to work through the approach without the consultation of any given criteria’s (Agarwal, 2017).
In ethics, the conceptual ethical framework holds its primary step in the assessment of ethical issues, particularly within organizations. Despite the fact that it is not usually an easy task, the objective is mainly to gain all the facts regarding the situation in a rightful manner. The procedures and the performances necessitate a consistent reconsideration and monitoring whether the conduct, as well as organizational operations, are ethical (Agarwal, 2017). The conceptual framework holds continuity given that a sequence of consecutive institutions particularly in the healthcare sector is interrelated. Therefore, there should be consistent attention in regard to ethical problems, some of the problems that generate disagreements given that the involved parties ignore the consideration of facts (Reamer, 2013). These facts are only intended for the identification of the situation and the drives without proposing any possible solutions which turn to be inadequate. This implies that the resolution of any kind of moral as well as ethical problems requires the appealing of different values in handling the dynamic of the issues (Reamer, 2013).
The three major frameworks related to ethical decisions include duty, consequentialism and virtue frameworks. The consequentialist framework is oriented on the future implications of the potent actions in consideration of those be affected either directly or indirectly (Reamer, 2013). This framework is beneficial given that it results in sound decisions that seek to enhance wellness given that results can easily be predicted. However, the approach only benefits some while others are excluded. On the other hand, the duty framework mainly focuses on responsibly and duties that individuals have in a given scenario in consideration of what should be conducted or not (Agarwal, 2017). In this context ethical conduct is described as the duty of an individual as well as focusing on doing the desirable thing by basing the actions on the appropriate moves. This approach promotes equity and quality treatment particularly in the healthcare sector given that it suits everyone. However, it increases the possibility of negative results despite the fact that one might have acted ethically. Virtue is a framework that attempts to identify the skills of an individual that motivates an individual in given situations and permits a wider range of alternatives (Reamer, 2013).
Ethical Dilemma
The biggest clinical dilemma that is in relation to patient’s autonomy. There was this patient that had brought her step child for treatment and after several examinations, it was established that the child was suffering from severe pneumonia that required immediate treatment otherwise the child would not survive being only 6 years old. After indicating that the child was to be hospitalized given that her blood level was below average and would thus acquire some transfusion along with the necessary treatment the mother refused on the ground that it was against their religious belief. In this context, the permission of the mother was a necessity in treating the patient given that she was far below the standard age to make decisions regarding her health. Her father was out of the country and therefore reaching him by phone only proved impossible after several attempts with no success. As a professional, despite the religious resistance the child had to be given the treatment against the wish of the mother on the ground that it was only right to save her rather than allow her to die. Medical professions are mainly responsible for saving individual’s life and thus the most ethical action that led to positive outcomes was to offer the treatment.
In the situation as a moral agent, my obligation was to ensure that ethical decisions that would lead to desirable outcomes are settled for. This, therefore, necessitates the creation of a balance between the life of the patient, healthcare obligations, and ethical standards. It is never easy to persuade patients on the best medical options particularly where religion or ethnic beliefs are involved and therefore the outcomes of the potent action must be accounted for (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2013). In this context, a consequentialist framework was utilized that was more objected at the end results following ethical conduct.
Based on the assessment my leadership style is a guardian or a democratic one. This is a form of a participating leading approach where all the members that exist within a given group are highly engaged in the making of decisions. I am an individual that allows others to air their thoughts of opinions in an easier way and discussions are encouraged in ensuring that only the most suitable decisions are settled for. Democrats serve an integral role in management given that their skills are utilized in creating smooth through the development of authoritative relationships (Devettere, 2016). This kind of leaders creates a rather favorable working surrounding where expressions are accepted but they are primarily objected in regard to their responsibilities of creating wellness. However, they take pride based on the reliability that they create and trustworthiness given that they do not only participate in the giving of orders rather they play part in ensuring that the set objectives are achieved (Devettere, 2016). My leadership style serves as a facilitation while solving dilemma given that all the aspects regarding the issues are thoroughly considered which incorporates parties and the anticipated results.
Conclusion
In healthcare making ethical decisions necessitates compassion in regard to the ethical outcomes of the issues and the present condition. This additionally obliges practice given that practical exposure is a major source of knowledge and skills which help in developing strategic solutions and enhance one’s capabilities. Ethical dilemmas are a common occurrence in everybody’s life given that individuals are required to make choices on the right and the undesirable things. However, ethical decisions mainly involve the attempt to create a favorable surrounding that is based on appropriate actions as well as potent and positive outcomes. Ethics creates behavioral standards or guidelines through which individuals are required to utilize in the development of an ethical society. Ethical decisions are never self-based but they are grounded in the existing situations and seek to promote wellness.
References
Agarwal, A. K. (2017). Business Leadership and Law. Place of publication not identified: SPRINGER.
Devettere, R. J. (2016). Practical decision making in health care ethics: Cases, concepts, and virtue of prudence. Georgetown University Press.
Ferrell, O. C., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell, L. (2013). Business ethics: Ethical decision making and cases. Mason, OH: South-Western/Cengage Learning.
Reamer, F. G. (2013). Social work values and ethics. New York: Columbia University Press.
Walker, A. (2011). Organizational behaviour in construction. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.