Morality and Ethics in Health Care

 “Morality is a code of conduct” (Progaz, 2012).  The word morality is sometimes used interchangeably with ethics. Morality is the behaviors and beliefs about human decency, good and evil, proper and improper, whereas ethics is a philosophical reflection on moral beliefs and behaviors (Highfield, n.d.). In other words, Ethics is the ideology behind morality. Therefore, ethics committees’ ultimate mission is to make moral decisions and to facilitate others to reach morality.

James Davison Hunter, a professor of religion, culture and social theory at the University of Virginia believed that the definition of morality has changed over time. Morality used to be not only emotional, it was also social, and the need for doing the right thing was imperative to people. As the time change, the idea behind morality also changed. Morality is now seen as a choice, that it can be changed as situation and circumstances changed. Hunter believed that “we’ve moved from a culture of character to a culture of personality” (Rowe, 2013), and we personalize our ideas of the good and the right.

Complicated and complex ethical issues occur in the health care setting on a regular basis, and the issues surrounding morality happen every single day in the field. It is extremely difficult even for health care professional to face death, let alone having to contribute to end-of-life decision making processes, especially when technology improves every moment, and people’s perception of morality and ethics change over time. Conflict related to morality is often brought to the ethics committees within a health care organization. The ethics committee serves as a portal in resolving many of these conflicts.

The responsibilities of ethics committee are to provide educational, consultation and supportive measures to patients and health care professionals, and to enhance decision-making process of the organization. It also takes the role of analyze and elucidate confusions and dilemmas in the health care setting (Moeller, 2012).  When dealing with cases, Young’s strategy suggested five steps. The Committees should define the problem first, and then collect as much information as possible, follow by identification of the important values and principles. The final two steps involves in the reflection of motives and intentions and to prioritize the conflicting values and make the ethical and most responsible decision (Rowe, 2013).

Resource

Rowe, R. (2013). Understanding the Context of Moral Dilemmas in Health Care Organizations:

Perspectives for Employee Training and Continuing Education. Home Health Care Management & Practice, 25(4), 141-146. doi:10.1177/1084822312473830