Deontology And Utilitarianism In Nursing Essay

Register to read the introduction… Deontology focuses on the “principle of the matter” or the actions. Teleology tends to focus more the consequences of the situation. While those who practice Kant’s deontology are bound by duty, the followers of utilitarianism are driven by the pursuit of happiness for all. These two theories are completely opposite in every aspect whether it be the motive, the focus, or the outcome.
Application to Nursing In nursing, choices are made. Whether conscious or not, there is a theory behind the choice. Many times, nurses implement utilitarianism and deontology during their shift with out even knowing it. As described earlier, deontology is the theory that actions are based purely on responsibility. Nurses may not like their patients, feel like being at work, or have a million other things going on in life, but they do their jobs. Nurses are bound to their patient’s needs. They follow the rules of …show more content…
An example of deontology would be telling the truth no matter the circumstance even if it would cause harm to someone. Most people who practice deontology have a sense of realism that allows them to know when to allow for extreme circumstances. On the other hand, utilitarianism is seen in many people as part of their personality. Many generous people are always seeking to benefit others. They desire to see others happy and strive to make it happen. Others spend every day using this theory in decision making all the time. They spend time consciously deciding whether the good will outweigh the bad. They must decide whether walking five miles to get to a football stadium is worth the two hours of cheering for their favorite college team, or they decide whether working extremely hard for two years in nursing school will be worth all the anxiety and stress in the end once they receive their