Health care providers have the obligation to provide for those entrusted in their care, to the extent of their authority that services or items provided or ordered benefits the recipient. The obligation to offer care and act in response to suffering is intrinsic to all heath care providers’ code of ethics. Heath care professionals also need to consider demands from their proficient role with other opposing responsibilities to their personal heath, to folks and friends (Thompson, 2006). Heath care providers often face considerable challenges connected to the distribution of resources, expert liability, scale of practice, and office conditions.
It is the obligation of a health care provider to offer health care services, for which a payment has been made to the patient in an ethical and clinically correct manner. Health care providers should ensure that the services are provided economically and only when, and to the extent that they are medically necessary (Noddings, 2013). In addition, the services should be of quality that meets the professionally recognized standards of health care. For example, in a case of an influenza outbreak, a health care provider may be required to work with overwhelming vigor aimed at controlling the pandemic.
The obligations of the health care providers to others may conflict with their obligation to themselves, families and friends. For example, a health care provider responding to a patient with influenza must consider familial obligation, and obligation to them with their expert responsibility to care (Noddings, 2013). Additionally, they as well need to meet the terms of antiviral or vaccination regimes for prophylaxis – something that may clash with their personal liberties. Providing care to some patients may also place the health care provider at risk of contracting diseases, something that may discourage some to avoid providing health care services to some patients.
References:
Thompson, I. E. (2006). Nursing ethics. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.