My Portfolio
After completing bioethics course, a learner ought to do the following:
- Acquire science knowledge that is related to bioethics.
During my medical course, I learnt that initially healthcare professionals found it a challenge when attending to their patients. This is because, unlike today, where we have bioethics, there was no professional code of ethics to be adhered. This resulted in patients subjected to gossips and their privacy not observed. Therefore, confidentiality lacked, and the patients’ problems leaked to a third party. The code of ethics brought consciousness to health professionals enriching their understanding of their patients as human beings (Harris, 2012). Previously, our country’s’ healthcare system suffered complications because of moral problems associated with ethical problems.
Another unforgettable experience is while working in a pediatric hospital. There was a 17-year-old girl, who after carrying out an endoscopy test, proved that she was pregnant. However, she approached me soon afterwards not to inform her mother, and further keep the condition a secret. The whole scenario stressed me since I had to inform the mother, who in return would inform the entire family for them to cope and support the situation.
The American society is racially discriminative, and this is a tradition. However, it is not such easy to prove discrimination, but its effects are solid. Therefore, it is the responsibility of healthcare givers to create environments where quality healthcare is practiced to all patients regardless of their race. Some hospitals went even to the extent of allocating all Whites the RN’s positions while Blacks given L.P.N.’s and nurse aids’ positions. It is even detrimental to realize that some white nurses up to today believe that African American nurses lack intelligence and knowhow, and thus cannot perform some nursing tasks. A contribution of the racial discrimination is that, quite a sizeable number of African Americans do not have medical insurance, exposing them to mistreatment and discrimination in health facilities.
During my course, I read some controversial debates in healthcare where some folks would argue that the insurance payments were too expensive for them, and thus could not afford to pay. They believed that the government should support them in order to offset their medical requirements or access medical care free of charge. That would not be the end of disputes. A good number of the entire public saw no need why the government should keep paying the unemployed who took little or no concern to their health.
Here are some of the emails that I exchanged with my professor during my course work.
My email: How are you sir, I must admit that I am enjoying this course, and more so how you are taking us step-by-step in order for us to understand the concepts of bioethics. However, there is a concept you taught in yesterday’s lesson, which I need clarification. I would like to know whether there is a relationship between bioethics and religious belief.
Comment from Grade Book
A grade student needs to provide reasoning that meets the following criteria in exam.
- Ability to present information that is relevant to the case at hand.
- Ability to provide an insightful and thorough description of the parties interested and their major concerns and interests.
- Ability to demonstrate the connection between the argument and all the relevant ethical considerations
- Ability of the learner to provide solutions to the problem at hand
- Ability of the leaner to provide a strong and justifiable conclusion that flow logically from the statement presented.
Excerpts for My Comments during Classroom Debate
My fellow colleagues, I may not agree with many of you that bioethics is likely to affect our religious beliefs negatively. In fact, we should be proud that, in this course, we have gained skills for arguing logically about anything we believe. We can now comfortably convince other students that ethical principles have borrowed a lot from our religious beliefs.
Example of My Reading Notes
We must not discriminate or be generalized. Every case and person is different. I certainly believe that it is only fair to provide proper care for anyone who needs it. Regardless of race or socioeconomic status of the patients we are handling, a professional medical doctor or nurse ought not to discriminate against race, sexual orientation, gender, and so forth.
I came across an interesting discussion online where some people argued that the health insurance was too expensive such that they could not afford. Therefore, they would suggest that the government ought to support them, or they be allowed to access medical care without paying. In addition, they would face discrimination in health facilities, in the absence of health insurance. I think this is quite unfair to such people; hence, as a health professional, such tendencies should be laid off.
References
Harris, D.(2012). Fate or free will: my passage to bioethics. Cambridge Quarterly Of Healthcare Ethics: CQ. The International Journal of Healthcare Ethics Committees, 21 (1), 119-21.
Tieu, M. (2012). Bioethics in a secular world: The ethics and the application. Bioethics Research Notes, 24(1): 15-22.
