Values And Virtue Case Study

In all sphere of life to include the society, church and professions, people are expected to conduct themselves based on principles of values and virtues. Interchangeably, these principles are often confused and used in the incorrect context without proper understanding. Values are subjective norms that are culturally accepted by people. Whereas virtues are objective inherent qualities that make up a certain culture or society. For example, a person may value material things such as a house or a car, but possesses the virtue of kindness among his/her peers. Examining the differences between values and virtues will bring understanding of how they are acquired, how they affect a person’s character, as well as their application to resolve health-related …show more content…
“On July 6, 2002, a University of Wisconsin-Stout student went to the K-Mart in Menomonie, Wisconsin, to fill her prescription for oral contraceptives, birth control pills. The only pharmacist on duty, Neil Noesen, asked if she intended to use the prescription for contraception. When she replied in the affirmative, Noesen, a Roman Catholic, refused to fill the prescription, explaining that to do so would be against his religious beliefs. She thought that he was kidding. But Noesen was very serious. As a devout Catholic, he had concluded that he could not dispense contraceptives. He also refused to transfer the prescription or tell her how or where she could get the prescription filled, all of which he explained later would in his view, constitute participating in wrongful behaviour. Significantly, prior to employment at K-Mart, Noesen had informed the district manager that he would not dispense contraceptives; however, he did not mention that he would refuse to refer or to transfer …show more content…
It is a conflict of two moral options that infringe on the values and/or virtues of each other. All professions or work place has an approach that is followed to resolve ethical dilemmas. But these approaches will be influenced by a person’s values and virtues. Making an ethical decision based on one’s values and virtues as to the right course of action, regardless of the possible consequences is considered as moral courage. The way in which people are socialized and the beliefs they hold will shape the form of service rendered in the healthcare profession. For instance, if a female was caught shop lifting with friends in college and has a criminal record of that incident. After applying for a health care job, an employer may assume that she is a dishonest person who has no integrity, and refuse to hire her. Of course, she has the capacity to adjust her character but the decision she made to shoplift with her friends jeopardized her opportunity. Maybe she did it because her friends are valuable and/or she does not have the virtue of honesty. If she had gotten a job as a book keeper in the healthcare industry, her dishonesty might cause the organization embarrassment for more serious crimes such as fraud. Addressing ethical dilemmas require moral reasoning with strong values and virtues. In Noesen’s case, he exhibited strong values and virtues but it just so happened that a patient’s right was denied. To resolve