Assignment Instructions
The four principles of biomedical ethics, especially in the context of bioethics in the United States, have often been critiqued for raising the principle of autonomy to the highest place, such that it trumps all other principles or values. Based on your worldview, how do you rank the importance of each of the four principles in order to protect the health and safety of diverse populations?
Sample Answer
Based on my Christian worldview, I would rank the principle of beneficence at the top followed by the principles of non-maleficence, justice, and autonomy. Christian worldview protects human life as according to Christianity, human beings are created in the image of God. The healthcare services provided to human beings should be beneficial and characterized by friendship, kindness, acts of mercy, altruism, and charity. Beneficence is the best description of the greatest commandment which is love. Provision of care according to the principle of beneficence involves being helpful and compassionate in care provision (Varkey, 2021).
The second important principle is nonmaleficence. According to this principle, non-harmful care should be provided to all human beings. Healthcare providers should avoid engaging in care procedures that are harmful or necessary or they impose unwarranted risk of harm to the patients (Cheraghi et al., 2023). God created human beings in His image and he bestowed upon them the responsibility to take care of humanity. Thus, healthcare providers should provide care that should not be harmful. Also, the Ten Commandments give human beings a guide on the responsibility they have towards others and the environment.
In my ranking, the third important principle is justice. Justice requires all human beings to be given equal care regardless of their ethnic and racial origins. Everyone has access to healthcare services and it is the responsibility of the healthcare providers to provide fair and equal care (Varkey, 2021). Healthcare providers have the moral duty to be actively involved in relocating healthcare resources and just and fair distribution of healthcare. Justice means providing services while ensuring that no one is neglected in the process. The fourth principle would be autonomy which considers the decision of healthcare providers in care provision. Christian worldview should not prioritize what the people want but how the care provided is not harmful and beneficial.
References
Cheraghi, R., Valizadeh, L., Zamanzadeh, V., Hassankhani, H., & Jafarzadeh, A. (2023). Clarification of ethical principle of the beneficence in nursing care: an integrative. https://bmcnurs.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12912-023-01246-4.pdf
Varkey, B. (2021). Principles of clinical ethics and their application to practice. Medical Principles and Practice, 30(1), 17-28. https://karger.com/mpp/article-abstract/30/1/17/204816