PHI-413V Topic 3 DQ 1

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?
Initial discussion question posts should be a minimum of 200 words and include at least two references cited using APA format. Responses to peers or faculty should be 100-150 words and include one reference. Refer to the “Discussion Question Rubric” and “Participation Rubric,” located in Class Resources, to understand the expectations for initial discussion question posts and participation posts, respectively.
American Association of Colleges of Nursing Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education
This assignment aligns with AACN Core Competencies: 3.1

Solution

Ethics is an inherent and inseparable part of clinical medicine as the healthcare provider has an ethical obligation to benefit the patient, to avoid or minimize harm, and to respect the values and preferences of the patient (Varkey, 2020). In the principles of biomedical ethics, I rank autonomy as the highest. I believe healthcare providers should respect patients’ decisions of how they desire their healthcare to be provided. After autonomy, the next principle should be nonmaleficence, followed by beneficence, which both addresses harm to the patient, whether by avoiding harm (nonmaleficence) or actively promoting the patient’s well-being (beneficence). Justice, which is equally as important as the other principles, ranks fourth in my perspective. Once it has been determined that a patient has full autonomy of their care and no harm has come to them, then it is imperative to ensure that the benefits have been fairly distributed with minimal risks and costs. Although this is my worldview, the rank of importance of principles is prima facie, which means principles or duties must be fulfilled unless they conflict on a particular occasion with an equal or stronger principle, duty, or obligation (Bogue et al,. 2024).

References:

Bogue, D., Cota, Jr, M., De La Torre, V., Evans, K., Hoehner, P., Hogan, M., & White, N. (2024). Practicing Dignity: An Introduction to

Christian Values and Decision-Making in Health Care (M. Cota, Jr & V. De La Torre, Eds.; Third Edition) [Review of Practicing Dignity: An

Introduction to Christian Values and Decision-making in Health Care]. Grand Canyon University.

Varkey, B. (2020). Principles of Clinical Ethics and Their Application to Practice. Medical Principles and Practice, 30(1), 17–28.

https://doi.org/10.1159/000509119

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