Drug Abuse and Intensive Care Unit
Recently, a senate was reported to have blocked the signing of a government strategy to deny the access of government pensions to the people with a disability caused by substance abuse. The withdrawal of the pensions would mean that these people would hardly access the basic healthcare services. Drug abuse is also a controversial concern in the inpatient department in any medical facility. This has attracted some social debates on whether the addicts should be allowed to access the Intensive Care Units. The medical practitioners are the most affected by the dilemmas arising from this issue. There is a collision between the ethical codes of conduct, the observance of the human rights and the adherence to the dictates of human rights. THIS IS A SAMPLE ORDER YOUR PAPER NOW
Human dignity is a primary consideration in the ethical and Christian philosophies that the dignity of a human being is deep-rooted in the fact that they are all made in the image of God. This dismisses all the conclusions likely to be made in relation to personal character, ethnic and racial background. Individuals seeking treatment in the ICUās under drug influence have a right to access it in this point of viewĀ (DāAunno, et al., 2015, p. 800). Failure to do this, the medical facilities ought to be charged with the failure to uphold human dignity. However, the drug addicts are also responsible for maintaining their personal dignity. People ought to lead righteous lives in order to gain respect from others. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly states that every human being possesses some inherent dignity that must be recognizedĀ (Barilan, 2017). Precisely, those who abuse drugs are entitled to similar rights equal to those who lead substance abuse-free lives.
Ethically, drug abuse is unacceptable although not all ethical theories can justify the dismissal of addicts in the Intensive Care Units. According to the subscribers of the consequence-based theory, the drug addicts should be allowed to access the ICU’s. The major argument of the theory is that all acts should be aimed to an excellent outcome. Curing a medical condition has some value and therefore drug abusers ought not to be discriminated. The deontologists argue that it is a moral duty or obligation to act in the right way (McInnis & Robeson, 2016, p. 16). Ideally, the medical institutions have the duty to protect human lives regardless of their practices. Again, all humans have an obligation to live in line with the moral guidelines of the society. Virtue ethics on the other hand recommends that character matters above all else. Living ethically requires a strict adherence to and demonstration of the societal virtues (McInnis & Robeson, 2016, p. 22). Medical practitioners should portray passion to their clients. At the same time, drug abuse is never a virtue. Precisely every role player is entitled to the duty to do the right. The hospitals should admit drug abusers to their ICU’s, and at the same time, the addicts should quit the undesirable habit. THIS IS A SAMPLE ORDER YOUR PAPER NOW
The professional ethics of the medical practitioners dictate that the highest mission is the involvement in the best practices to save human livesĀ (Hughes, 2014, p. 2). They are bound to practice passion and devotion in the service of others. There is no point in the professional code of conduct that the doctors and the nurses are advised to discriminate against patients owing to their undesirable practices.
In conclusion, the withdrawal of the health care preserved for the substance abusers is unjustifiable. The hospitals have both an ethical and legal duty to protect their lives. The best way to deal with the intensification of illnesses resulting from drug abuse is through the placement of rehabilitation services in the healthcare units. Even the most pervasive drug abusers are entitled to access the health care services.
References
Barilan, Y. M., 2017. Human Dignity, Human Rights, and Responsibility. [Online]
Available at: https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/human-dignity-human-rights-and-responsibility
[Accessed 26 September 2017].
DāAunno, T., Friedmann, P. D., Chen, Q. & Wilson, D. M., 2015. Integration of Substance Abuse Treatment Organizations into Accountable Care Organizations:Results from a National Survey. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 40(4), pp. 798-819.
Hughes, L. D., 2014. How should healthcare students view addiction and substance. Scottish Universities Medical Journal, 1(4), pp. 1-3.
McInnis, O. A. & Robeson, P., 2016. Alberta Healthcare Professionalsā Perceptions of Prescription Drug Misuse. Canadian Journal of Addiction, 7(2), pp. 14-32.