BUS FPX 3121 Assessment 3 Ethical Case Study

BUS FPX 3121 Assessment 3 Ethical Case Study

Student Name

Capella University

BUS-FPX3121 Healthcare Management Ethics

Prof. Name

Date

Introduction

This case study examines the ethical dilemma involving a patient named Michael, who was recently admitted to the hospital and subsequently fell into a coma. During his admission, Michael disclosed that he had been living with his father, Chris, for the past two years, despite remaining married to his wife, Tifania, and maintaining contact with her. Unfortunately, after sustaining multiple injuries that required several surgeries, Michael entered a coma.

When an apnea test later confirmed his death, Chris was informed of the situation and requested to terminate Michael’s treatment without consulting Tifania. Meanwhile, Tifania contacted the hospital to inquire about her husband’s condition following his operation. The hospital staff, however, refused to provide any information, citing that Chris had informed them that Michael and Tifania were no longer married. He also claimed that he and Michael’s minor children were the patient’s next of kin.

Despite Tifania being listed as Michael’s spouse and emergency contact on the hospital’s admission documents, staff failed to verify this information. As a result, Chris was allowed to make significant end-of-life decisions. Even after Tifania presented proof of their ongoing marriage during the three weeks of Michael’s coma, the hospital neglected to rectify the situation, thereby violating ethical and legal standards.

Recognition of the Problem

In this case, Michael met the requirements to make informed decisions regarding his medical care at the time of his admission. He clearly identified his wife, Tifania, as his emergency contact, insurance holder, and legal spouse, despite residing with his father. The hospital possessed accurate documentation reflecting this information.

However, the staff failed to uphold Michael’s rights, disregarding hospital protocols, ethical standards, and patient autonomy. The failure to follow proper verification and communication procedures resulted in an unjust transfer of decision-making authority from the lawful spouse to the father.

Key Parties Involved	Roles/Responsibilities	Ethical/Legal Standing
Michael (Patient)	Provided consent and listed his wife as emergency contact	Entitled to autonomy and respect for expressed wishes
Tifania (Wife)	Legal spouse, insurance provider, and emergency contact	Rightful next of kin and decision-maker
Chris (Father)	Caregiver and informant	Wrongfully assumed authority over patient decisions
Hospital Staff	Responsible for verifying patient records and following ethical standards	Failed to confirm legal and ethical documentation

Analysis of Ethical Factors

Breach of Autonomy

The foremost ethical violation in this case concerns autonomy. Michael, while mentally competent, communicated his medical preferences and designated his wife as the individual to make decisions on his behalf if he became incapacitated. By disregarding this documentation, the hospital infringed upon his autonomy and failed to respect his previously expressed wishes.

Violation of Nonmaleficence and Beneficence

A second major issue is the violation of nonmaleficence—the obligation to do no harm—and beneficence, the duty to act in the patient’s best interest. Allowing Chris to make medical decisions contrary to Michael’s stated intentions led to potential emotional and ethical harm. Furthermore, upon confirming that Tifania and Michael were still legally married, the hospital should have corrected the oversight immediately to honor beneficence.

Ethical and Legal Implications

This ethical breach reflects a larger organizational problem related to hospital policy compliance, ethical oversight, and legal accountability. As Darr (2011) notes, conflicts of interest in healthcare can be challenging to identify, yet ethical and legal principles must guide decision-making in cases like Michael’s. Failure to adhere to these standards deprived both Michael and his wife of justice (Morrison, 2019).

Moreover, conflicts of interest may arise when financial motivations influence decision-making or when personal relationships compromise ethical judgment (Darr & Nowicki, 2018). Since Tifania held financial and legal responsibilities for Michael’s care, excluding her from the decision-making process represented both an ethical and legal injustice.

Likely Corrections

To address and rectify the ethical errors in Michael’s case, corrective measures should be implemented both externally and internally.

External Corrections

External Action	Purpose
Issue a formal apology	Acknowledge wrongdoing and show empathy to the family
Provide medical records	Ensure transparency and uphold patient rights
Collaborate with Tifania	Reinstate her rightful authority as next of kin
Offer grief counseling	Support emotional well-being of family members
Consider financial compensation	Address emotional and procedural harm
Allow for legal recourse	Enable litigation if necessary to achieve justice

Internal Corrections

Internally, the hospital must review existing policies and determine whether they require revision or replacement. Comprehensive employee training should be instituted to ensure that all staff understand legal obligations and ethical standards when handling incapacitated patients.

Accountability is a vital component of this process. The hospital must take responsibility for its organizational failures before addressing the actions of individual employees. Upholding ethical accountability not only restores trust but also prevents recurrence of similar incidents.

Conclusion

To resolve the ethical dilemma surrounding Michael, Tifania, and Chris, a swift and comprehensive response is essential. This includes reassessing hospital policies, enhancing employee training, and ensuring full alignment between ethical guidelines and professional conduct.

Through evidence-based strategies and standardized practices, Brookside Hospital can improve patient safety, restore public trust, and prevent future ethical breaches. Such reforms will help the organization uphold its mission of delivering compassionate, just, and ethical healthcare.

References

Darr, K. (2011). Ethics in health services management (5th ed.). Baltimore, MD: Health Professions Press.

Darr, K., & Nowicki, M. (2018). Introduction to the financial management of healthcare organizations (7th ed.). Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press.

Morrison, E. E. (2019). Ethics in health administration: A practical approach for decision makers (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning. https://capella.vitalsource.com/books/9781284194319