Question

Create a Ten-Step Ethical Decision-Making Process to deal with the ethical dilemma relating to the case study

CASE STUDY ONE You work in a multi-disciplinary agency which provides support for families and particularly new mothers. You have a client Katherine, who has recently given birth to her first child. Katherine initially presented to the agency with stress issues due to the pressure she feels from looking after her newborn baby. After investigating this with the client it seems as though her stress is a part of a normal response to her change in life-situation although it is causing Katherine some problems due to her lack of social support. Katherine does not seem at all depressed and is able to communicate in an effective and comprehensive manner. As part of the agency policy, Katherine is exposed to a number of different practitioners including a doctor (GP). The doctor has prescribed the client a medium dose of Zoloft (an antidepressant medication) and Diazepam (also known as Valium, which is a sedative). After reading this in Katherine's file you become concerned as you do not believe that medication is warranted for a person in Katherine's situation and also believe that the dosage is too high. You also become concerned that the medication effects may supersede any therapeutic interventions that you develop with your client. This is reinforced in your next session with Katherine where she presents as listless, tired and void of emotion.

Answer 1

ethical decission making process to deal with the above case study dilemma are:

1. gathering of the fact: like stress of mother, lack of care taker, multy practitioner, use of antidepressant and sedatives with high dose etc.
2. define ethical issues and prediction of future: because of the above dilemma the patient may unable to lookafter newborn, she may develop infection, negligence of newborn.
3. identifies the affected parties or stakeholders: are new mother, newborn baby, her family members etc.
4. identifies the consequences: she may develop infection because of not maintaining personal hygiene as she is under sedatives. newborn may face lack of care as her mother is under stress and administering antidepressants.
5. identifies the obligation: she has the right for repeated counselling to relieve from stress, newborn needs to handle by the healthcare provider for better care like timely feeding, maintaining personal hygiene etc. sedatives and antidepressants should given by taking consent from patient and from their relatives.
6. considere your character and integrity: action should taken to meet all the rights of the client. the client should never left without counselling when she is under stress. multy practitioner practice to treat a patient differently should stop. and team work need to develop. for ex- multiple practitioner may present but they should take their decission togetherly.
7. creatitive potential action: regular counselling of client, mental and physical support to the client, multiple practitioner practice differently should avoid.
8. check your gut: we should check ourside for any mistake because we are not always right. for continuous counselling, proper care of newborn should be the first responsibilities of healthcare providers.
9. action and response: we should take decission on the basis of protecting the patients right. which should be good for all the stakeholders.
10. proper recovery and rehabilitation: the client Katherine should recover properly with her baby and she should able to take care of her baby. the organisation have to change their protocol in care of client and in process of treatment.