Park 6 – Nursing Writings
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Virtues and Values Title of the paper
Jacqueline Zak
Ashford University
MHA 622 Health Care Ethics & Law
Dr. Park Atatah (Ph.D.).
September 8, 2020
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Virtues and Values Title Level 1 heading or header (L1)
Around the world, ethics can be looked at in different ways and are handled differently
by different groups of people. Not one group of people look at things the same, and in Health
Care professionals need to have an awareness of other practices that someone might value over
that person. Health care workers need to have a diverse way to look at things and understand
that not one human is the same. Health care works towards virtues and values, but neither are
the same thing. Understanding the difference between virtues and values is vital, and realizing
they are not the same thing is critical in health care. In this paper it will explore what the
difference between virtues and values is, the case of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, and the result
of the case. Thesis statement of the paper which is required in majority of the assignments
in this class.
History of Ethics in Health Care (L1)
Early on, different cultures realized that health care needs to follow a code of ethics. The
Hippocratic Oath made in the fifth century is still a current oath that is followed in health care
and has many layers that have developed over the years to follow (Reddy & Mythri, 2016). One
of the most significant concepts of the Hippocratic Oath is not to harm another human.
However, at times health care workers must work out dilemmas that could cause harm and to put
into consideration what is the best course of action to follow.
Virtues and the differences of Values (L1)
Over time many people have debated that values and virtues are the same things, but
there are differences in virtues and values that work hand and hand. Virtues define what makes a
person good verse bad, and virtues display principles of honesty and justice (Pogzar, 2012).
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Virtues are the guides of our actions that give us the result, which are the values we follow
(Pogzar, 2012). Values are the result of the action that human’s practice.
Virtues are what make a person who they are and help them to follow what is right or
wrong. If a person has good virtues, they will follow what is perceived to be the right way to
handle issues that come up and track health care guidelines that are provided by each group.
Values following through with the group and getting the result that the group inspires to perform.
Virtues and values are displayed in health care through the mission, vision, and values of the
group, and each employee expects to follow the guidelines that are displayed. Health care works
towards doing less amount of harm to any person or group of people.
In health care dilemmas, a committee is usually put together to decide what is the best
course of action and what would be the ethical right decision for a patient. However, the
decision at times does come into question by other guardians, family, or state representatives if
the course of action was correct. Yet, if a patient is sound of mind, they have the right to decide
that proper treatment. Culture and religion can play significant parts in decisions that are made,
and all health care professionals should be aware of the patient’s beliefs or want before treatment.
Tuskegee Syphilis Study (L2)
The Tuskegee Syphilis Study was done in Macon Country, Alabama, and has been
described as pure racism (Paul, & Brookes, 2015). However, over the years, different studies,
such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, have happened without being described as racism. The
survey was conducted on African Americans who had Syphilis but was offered no treatment for
the disease (Pogzar, 2012). The study looked at the effects of the disease in African American
males and how it progressed. However, no patient was offered antibiotics that could cure the
disease in them (Pogzar, 2012). Dr. Robert White and cultural anthropologist Richard Shweder
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felt that doing the study was not unethical nor racist in any way (Paul, & Brookes, 2015).
However, many have debated the fact that it was dishonest and racist due to the fact the patients
had no clue there was available treatment, and the patients could have been cured (Pogzar, 2012).
Studies on treatments happen all the time but making a patient aware of possible treatment is a
big part of ethics in health care.
Virtues and Values of the Tuskegee Study (L1)
The Tuskegee Study was working towards the result of figuring out how Syphilis can be
treated. Still, it was only limited to black African Americans who had no clue they are being
studied or that there was a treatment that was available that could cure the disease they were
suffering. Many people felt this was unethical due to health care harm is to be prevented.
However, many felt the study needed to happen to get the understanding of Syphilis and did not
see the implications that the research was unethical. The virtues of the evaluation are understood
by how Syphilis affected African Americans, but the values displayed racism, which was the
result of the study.
Conclusion (Always L1)
Virtues and values, at times, are viewed as the same thing, but they are two different
things. The virtues can be good or bad but will work towards the result, which is the values of
what is trying to achieve. In the case of the Tuskegee Study, virtues of knowledge were trying to
achieve. Still, the result only leads to some believing it was pure racism because they were only
evaluating black African American males and offered no way to treat their condition. Treatment
in the study was available, and yet the treatment was not provided to one patient who was
involved in the study. In the views of health care, this should be considered not ethical due to
health care is to strive not to harm. When health care workers start working, they swear into the
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Hippocratic Oath, which clearly states not to harm no patients. (Conclusion restate your thesis
statement in a different format)
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References (Always L1 starts in a new page)
Paul, C., & Brookes, B. (2015). The Rationalization of Unethical Research: Revisionist Accounts
of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and the New Zealand “Unfortunate
Experiment.” American Journal of Public Health, 105(10), e12. https://doi-org.proxy-
library.ashford.edu/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302720
Pozgar, G. (2012). Legal aspects of health care administration (12th ed.). Retrieved from
https://content.ashford.edu/
Reddy, M. S., & Mythri, S. V. (2016). Health-care Ethics and the Free Market Value
System. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 38(5), 371.
http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.proxy-
library.ashford.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=7&sid=5ebea1ab-a03f-4406-81ca-
8aa0f90a9a5d%40sessionmgr4008
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