Looking back over the semester, I am amazed that all ethical principles I have learned. In this essay, I will use principles of dignity, autonomy and beneficence to support my concerns in clinical practice in the future.
Many experiences influence my decision to become a Physician Assistant. I moved to the U.S. eight years ago with the dream of becoming a healthcare professional who can help others live healthy lifestyles. Although I have disadvantages as an international student, I always give my 200 percent in working toward my dream. While working as medical assistant, I see the affinity between patients and PAs, and I find enormous pleasure in interacting with patients. My optimism and personal interest lends myself to connect with patients. I find that each patient has a story, and the patient needs personal interaction and sympathy. Further, I find out that PAs are more likely to share medical knowledge with patients to enable them to better understand their health conditions. I hope to master the skill in the PA program, so I can empower patients to play an integral role of their own healthcare.
In clinical practice, the most important things for me is to respect patients and their healthcare decisions; to assure the patient’s welfare; to improve healthcare outcome by delivering best patient care and treatments. If patients think they are being treated with respect, they are more satisfied, and more likely to do what the clinician tell them, which improve the healthcare outcomes as well. In addition, patients will trust the clinician, and are more willing to share sensitive information, such as sexual history, which can be crucial in some cases. Further, as a healthcare professional, to treat illness and make sure patients are treated properly are my top tasks; and improve quality of patient care is my primary goal.
Principle of dignity, autonomy, and beneficence are important to my ethical decision-making process and these principles also support my concerns in clinical practice. The best ethical principles to support respecting patients and their decisions are dignity and autonomy. Dignity is about the worth, stature, or value of human beings and respect to individuals (Sulmasy, 2013). The way patients being treated has an influence on their dignity. In healthcare, it is important for us to give the patient full respect and honor the patient’s dignity. As a PA, I need to see the patient as a human being, not just focus on the illness or disease they have. I need to understand not only the illness they have, but also the significance it had on their lives. Be thoughtful and take some small actions to make patients feel that their dignity is intact, such as maintain eye contacts, and listen with smiles on my face when I interview patients. Patients have their rights to make autonomous decisions and choices about their own health, and we should respect their decisions (Yeo, Moorhouse, & Dalziel 2010). In the healthcare decision, patients are free to take actions, they are able to do what they wish to do. When I practice medicine, I want to build up rapport with patients, and I do not want to throw over medical terms or just force patients to do the procedure. It is important to consider the patient’s thoughts and wishes, respect their autonomy, and their decisions and choices. After giving adequate information about their diseases, we must allow patients to express their wishes, participate in their care, and make their autonomous decisions about what to do with their bodies. The decision is made by the patient, and it matches his or her values and wishes. If the patient is participating in making decision, he or she may have a higher chance to follow the treatment plans that choose by himself or herself. Beneficence supports promoting the patient’s welfare, and delivering best patient care. In healthcare, beneficence principle asks us to do good, to promote health and wellbeing of patients (Yeo & Moorhouse, 2010). I want to provide best healthcare to patients, which is also the fundamental goal of medical practice. As a PA, it is my obligation to do good and to help patients improve their health. Any decisions I made in clinical practice should favor the patient’s benefits and those decisions are based on maximizing benefits of the patient. In addition, the procedures, treatments, and care recommended and done must be match the good intension to benefit the patient.
Principles of autonomy, dignity, and beneficence form the foundation for me to make ethical decisions and support my concerns in PA clinical practice in the future.
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