Summary: The Principles Of Biomedical Ethics

The character of an individual is developed through a lifetime of experiences. These experiences can help mold an individual into a moral or an immoral person. To become a moral person one must make choices to do what is right not only for themselves but for others as well. Medical professionals fall into an important category of people that must think of others well-being and not just of their own. In order for medical professionals to do this they must be able to follow strict guidelines set not only by their employer but also higher standards as well. One way for medical professionals to achieve a morally developed character are the Principles of Biomedical Ethics as Virtues. These principles are autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and …show more content…
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