Stemming from early Hippocratic origins, and as seen in the Hippocratic Oath, “First do no harm, benefit only” healthcare professionals have always looked to the virtue of beneficence (Morrison and Furlong, p.11). Healthcare professionals must always put patient’s needs before their own. Beneficence is an important aspect of being a good medical professional. Medical professionals often have to make self-sacrifices in order to attend to patients and be able to help patients. Not being able to take breaks for meals and working overtime during busy work hours when there is an abundance of patients in an emergency room are just a couple of examples of sacrifices medical professionals are called upon to make in order to treat patients appropriately. However, there are times when a medical professional observing beneficence will overrule autonomy. Situations such as a patient that is considering or has attempted suicide may lead to a medical professional committing a patient to a psychiatric ward or hospital against the patient’s wishes for the benefit of the …show more content…
When it comes to health care these four principles become virtues. Medical professionals that abide by these virtues can become important assets to their employers. When medical professionals practice these virtues patients can end up having more trust in them. When patients trust their medical professionals, this trust can have a positive outcome in a patients care. Therefore, these four principles or virtues of biomedical ethics are a set of very important skills for any medical professional and can help lead to a very rewarding and successful career for the medical