by W. Diane Van Zwol

Created on: September 29, 2009

Resolving Ethical Dilemmas: Commitment, Care, Compassion and Concern

Ethical dilemmas are best resolved in health care issues, through the continuing commitment, care, compassion and concern of medical and health care professionals, whose moral and ethical standards are rooted or grounded, in the love of humankind.

It is seldom only one voice that speaks if or when there are health care issues of concern. If, or when there is just one voice, of course, there is no dilemma. That single voice is the one that speaks to all concerned. That voice has the final authority in terms of ethical dilemma resolution. Right or wrong, that voice takes precedence.

Many times, it is a good thing that more than one voice that speaks out on behalf of humankind, with regard to health care issues. This is one way of protecting human beings from what may ultimately prove to be unethical, one-sided or unorthodox decisions. Ethical dilemmas in health care tend to affect or involve more than one person. They are not just issues that relate to only one doctor and/or patient. If they were, that would simply their resolution to some extent.

Ethical dilemmas in health care issues can involve, as well as affect, the lives of many people. These kinds of issues often include numerous medical and health care professionals, like other doctors, registered nurses, non-professional caregivers, as well as a patient's family members and friends. Many times, there may be many other people involved from various levels of society. These include employers, teachers, co-workers, neighbors, students, friends, etc., who all must be taken into consideration, particularly when the ethical dilemma concerns them directly or even indirectly. For example, when there is an outbreak of an infection, like the H1N1 virus, it can affect the lives of everyone, in some way.

Ethical dilemmas are not always just simple health care issues that need to be resolved. For example, when there is a global economic crisis, obtaining the funding for health care becomes a very complex scenario. Health care issues may not be just ethical dilemmas either. There may also be moral or legal aspects to consider in the decision-making process, as well as in the ultimate resolution of any health care issue. This may not be immediately apparent at the time. In other words, many health care issues can be or become moral-ethical issues, or moral-ethical-legal issues, rather than just ethical issues.

There is true ethics, as well as

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