Case Study on Moral Status
Based on “Case Study: Fetal Abnormality” and other required topic study materials, write a 750-1,000-word reflection that answers the following questions:
What is the Christian view of the nature of human persons, and which theory of moral status is it compatible with? How is this related to the intrinsic human value and dignity?
Which theory or theories are being used by Jessica, Marco, Maria, and Dr. Wilson to determine the moral status of the fetus? What from the case study specifically leads you to believe that they hold the theory you selected?
How does the theory determine or influence each of their recommendations for action? Case Study on Moral Status.
What theory do you agree with? Why? How would that theory determine or influence the recommendation for action?
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Remember to support your responses with the topic study materials.
While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion. Case Study on Moral Status.
Case Study: Fetal Abnormality
Jessica is a 30-year-old immigrant from Mexico City. She and her husband Marco have been in the United States for the last three years and have finally earned enough money to move out of their Aunt Maria’s home and into an apartment of their own. They are both hard workers. Jessica works 50 hours a week at a local restaurant and Marco has been contracting side jobs in construction. Six months before their move to an apartment, Jessica finds out she is pregnant. Case Study on Moral Status.
Four months later, Jessica and Marco arrive at the county hospital, a large, public, nonteaching hospital. A preliminary ultrasound indicates a possible abnormality with the fetus. Further scans are conducted, and it is determined that the fetus has a rare condition in which it has not developed any arms and will not likely develop them. There is also a 25% chance that the fetus may have Down syndrome.
Dr. Wilson, the primary attending physician, is seeing Jessica for the first time, since she and Marco did not receive earlier prenatal care over concerns about finances. Marco insists that Dr. Wilson refrain from telling Jessica the scan results, assuring him that he will tell his wife himself when she is emotionally ready for the news. While Marco and Dr. Wilson are talking in another room, Aunt Maria walks into the room with a distressed look on her face. She can tell that something is wrong and inquires of Dr. Wilson. After hearing of the diagnosis, she walks out of the room wailing loudly and praying aloud.
Marco and Dr. Wilson continue their discussion, and Dr. Wilson insists that he has an obligation to Jessica as his patient and that she has a right to know the diagnosis of the fetus. He furthermore is intent on discussing all relevant factors and options regarding the next step, including abortion. Marco insists on taking some time to think of how to break the news to Jessica, but Dr. Wilson, frustrated with the direction of the conversation, informs the husband that such a choice is not his to make. Dr. Wilson proceeds back across the hall, where he walks in on Aunt Maria awkwardly praying with Jessica and phoning the priest. At that point, Dr. Wilson gently but briefly informs Jessica of the diagnosis and lays out the option for abortion as a responsible medical alternative, given the quality of life such a child would have. Jessica looks at him and struggles to hold back her tears.
Jessica is torn between her hopes of a better socioeconomic position and increased independence, along with her conviction that all life is sacred. Marco will support Jessica in whatever decision she makes but is finding it difficult not to view the pregnancy and the prospects of a disabled child as a burden and a barrier to their economic security and plans. Dr. Wilson lays out all of the options but clearly makes his view known that abortion is “scientifically” and medically a wise choice in this situation Case Study on Moral Status. Aunt Maria pleads with Jessica to follow through with the pregnancy and allow what “God intends” to take place and urges Jessica to think of her responsibility as a mother.
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Case Study: Foetal Abnormality
Introduction
The patient, in this case, was a 30-year-old Mexican immigrant named Jessica. She lived with her husband, Marco. Both were economically active, with Jessica working 50 hours per week. The couple lived with their aunt Maria in an apartment but were about to leave for their house. At the presentation, Jessica was pregnant, and after several ultra-sound scans, the fetus was observed to be defective. The fetus also indicated a likelihood of developing Down syndrome (25% chance). The fetus was seen to have no arm limbs and not likely to develop some. The doctor in charge, Dr. Wilson, wanted to break the news to Jessica, but the husband (Marco) viewed that it was not the appropriate time. The doctor stated that it wasn’t Marcos responsibility to choose when to communicate. After a lengthy discussion, Dr. Wilson was frustrated and went to Jessica and broke the news. Case Study on Moral Status. Dr. Wilson also proposed an abortion as a safe intervention for the problem. Jessica was in tears while Aunt Maria was comforting her that God had a reason for the pregnancy.
Christian Perception
The scenario in the case study brings about a complex moral and professionalism competition whereby critical thinking is essential. Following the Christian perspective, God is the creator of all human beings, and he does that with nobility; physical infirmity does not affect the soul. In this manner, Jessica and Aunt Maria were Christians who objected to abortion on the basis that it is sinful (Amer, 2019) Case Study on Moral Status.
The Christian doctrine emphasizes that all people are equal in the eyes of God. In his creation, all people are equal and uniquely significant. God doesn’t look at the physical ability; He is concerned with spiritual perfection. Therefore, since God is interested in the soul, the termination of the pregnancy was not permissible. Again, according to Christians, many Bible verses are leading to the perception that life begins at conception (Alexander, 2019). Therefore, the fetus was regarded as a human being with a soul. In Jeremiah 1:5, God states that He knew and appointed Jeremiah as a prophet before forming him in the womb and before he was born. In this case, God is the creator of the unborn and is concerned about their life.
God prohibits people from killing in his commandments. According to Exodus 20:1, 13, God says, “You shall not murder.” In the concept that the fetus may have a heartbeat and a soul, abortion amounts to murder. The Cristian faith doesn’t advocate abortion; it is based on the utilitarianism theory; that focuses on the outcomes to determine right and wrong (Amer, 2019). In the moral/ethical scenario presented, the most appropriate action of a Christian should bring the greatest good for the majority. The mother, father, and aunt were against termination of the pregnancy. Therefore, maintaining the pregnancy was the morally right action.
Theories of Each Participant
The three Jessica, Marco, and Maria were using the Human Becoming Theory that was first coined in by Rosemary Parse. According to the theory, the totality paradigm is included. In the totality paradigm, a human being is a combination of sociological, physiological, spiritual, sociological, as well as biological factors. Therefore, a human being continuously interacts with the environment throughout life and learn reality by interacting with the experiences. In this concept, Jessica was sacred and had obligations to act morally with the sense of social impacts. In the same case, Marco did not want to disclose the ultrasound diagnosis to his wife when she was not ready due to the psychological effects. Furthermore, Maria went straight to pray with Jessica and went forth to call the priest after discovering the results of the ultrasound scans. Therefore, she believed in spirituality and that by praying and comforting Jessica, she would find the strength to make a sound decision. The three of them did not buy the idea of abortion since it was against their Christianity life, and it would affect their social status.
For doctor Dr. Wilson, his perception followed the argument that the child may not lead a fulfilling life. The doctor perceives that there was a high of the child having down syndrome. In this case, the care for the disabled child would be expensive and complicated. Therefore, Dr. Wilson proposed an abortion for the abnormal fetus claiming that it was clinically and scientifically safe. Therefore. Dr. Wilson’s perception was based on the Self-Efficacy Theory formulated by Albert Bandura. Case Study on Moral Status. The Self-Efficacy Theory was developed from the Social Cognitive Theory (Li, 2020). The social cognitive theory suggests that self-efficacy is influenced by behavioral, environmental, and personal factors (Li, 2020). According to the theory, cognitive and personal factors have major roles in impacting life. In the situation at hand, the fetus had no arms and would probably develop none in the future. Therefore, right from delivery, the new-born would be affected by poor personal capability. The interaction of the new-born with the environment would be difficult. Therefore, the child will bring extra financial and care burden on the parents. Furthermore, the child had a 20% risk of developing down syndrome. The cognitive ability of the new-born would be affected throughout his/her life. Such occurrences would jeopardize the development of the child, such as education and cognitive behavior. Therefore, the child would not live a fulfilling or comfortable life and would compromise the financial, social, and work status of the parents. Case Study on Moral Status.
Appropriate Theory and Recommendation
The most appropriate theory, in this case, was the Human Becoming Theory (Milton, 2020). The situation at hand involved a complex interrelationship between man and the environment. The environment included the hospital, the biological factors (human and own body), social, and spiritual factors. Therefore, the decision to be taken needed to embark on the impact of the clinical procedure on the psychological, economic, and social welfare of the parties. First, the role of the nurse is to provide care and cure. The doctor was obliged to ensure that the rights of the patient are not compromised. Case Study on Moral Status. Looking at the situation, the patient was not in any health danger. Secondly, the execution of abortion would only be sound if both the life of the mother was in danger. Furthermore, putting the patient’s needs ahead of any other need should be an ethical concern of the health providers. In this case, the doctor was expected to correspond to the principle of ‘first do no harm’ (Edwards, 2020). The decision made should not harm the patient or her family. The doctor needs to have communicated professionally with the patient and the family. The doctor needs to have discussed with the patient and her family about the best clinical/nursing decision. Guiding and counseling would be appropriate before reporting the diagnostic outcomes. Furthermore, since the parents and the aunt had a common agreement of maintaining the pregnancy. It would have been appropriate to maintain the pregnancy.
References
Alexander, A. B. (2019). Christianity and Ethics. BoD–Books on Demand.
Amer, A. B. (2019). Understanding the Ethical Theories in Medical Practice. Open Journal of
Nursing, 9(02), 188.
Edwards, E. (2020). Principles of suctioning in infants, children and young people. Nursing
children and young people, 32(1).
Evans, R. L. (2019). Exodus 20 (The Ten Commandments): The Evans Practical Bible
Commentary. Abundant Truth Publishing.
Li, C. (2020). Self-efficacy theory. Routledge Handbook of Adapted Physical Education.
Milton, C. L. (2020). Ethical Truths in the Discipline of Nursing. Nursing Science Quarterly,
33(1), 19-20. Case Study on Moral Status