Day 55 – Case Study Q 4.

4. It is said that a doctor performs the noblest profession. Doctors are considered God by many in different parts of the world. You were always attracted to this profession and wanted to become the best doctor in your area so that you also could save lives and feel good about it. You were lucky that your parents supported your aspirations. With their support and your hard work, you cracked the medical entrance examination, attended one of the most reputed medical colleges in the country and finally became a doctor. You joined a government hospital and it was nothing less than dream come true for you. You were ready to serve the people with all those life saving skills that you had learnt in the college. Meanwhile, you got married to a beautiful girl and had two lovely kids with her.

Work- life balance was going smooth until one day, the news of a new viral strain spreading in the southern most coastal state of the country broke out. The strain was so severe that even many doctors and nurses had succumbed to the infection and died. The situation had become so worse that no doctor was ready to treat the dying patients.

This troubled you a lot and you felt that the time had come to serve the people in the truest sense. You decided that you would visit the state and render your services to the ailing patients. However, your parents, wife and children are strictly against this decision. They fear that even you would get affected by the virus. You tried to convince them by telling them that the foremost duty of a doctor was to save lives no matter what and if you didn’t go, the guilt of turning your back towards the needy would haunt you forever. But your family members aren’t ready to let you go. After all, you are the sole breadwinner and caretaker of the family. How can they simply let you be in danger? They love you so much and can’t afford to lose you.

Q. Now, you were in a complex situation that demanded a reasoned yet moral action from you. What would you have done in this situation? Examine the alternatives available to you and comment on the pros and cons of each one of them. Also, which alternative you would have chosen and why?

Synopsis:

The situation involves following facts:

1. Spread of viral strain in a state
2. Doctors and nurses succumbed to viral infection, no doctor is ready to serve ailing patients.
3. Sole breadwinner of family
4. Family not ready to let go.   

As per the facts following ethical dilemma are involved:

1. There is danger of life but It’s the rare opportunity of fulfilling truest form of public service.
2. Family security is at risk but not going would mean risking moral conscience and self guilt for life.
3. Many ailing patients are in need of urgent help, there is conflict between value of humanity and risking one’s life.

Various alternatives available in this case are:

Option 1: Consider family concerns and refuse to serve

Merit:

1. Eliminates risk of getting infected.
2. Family’s financial and physical security can be ensured.

Demerit:

1. Prolonged self guilt of not fulfilling moral duty.
2. Compromises professional ethics
3. Undermines the very reason of becoming a doctor.
4. Failure to show true sense of service
5. Decision based on worst case scenario – shows pessimism.

Considering the consequences this option must not be chosen as it is escapist in nature.

Option 2: Visit to serve the ailing people rejecting the fears of family

Merits:

1. Can serve the public and deliver professional duty.
2. Moral conscience can be lived upto without any guilt.
3. Purpose of being a doctor can be fulfilled

Demerits

1. Leaves family without allaying their fears, neglecting the duty towards family.
2. Being sole supporter of family their future needs to be secured.

This option though being professionally correct compromises family’s security. There can be better way to deal with this.

Option 3: The situation is urgent and visiting ailing patient is utmost need but fears of family need to be resolved along with securing their future.

Merits:

1. Allows responding to call of duty with no compromise on family’s future.
2. Support of family will add to moral support in this testing situation.
3. Living up to strong value system will inculcate similar values in children, father acting as a role model for them.
4. Long term peace with moral conscience.

Demerits:

1. It might be hard to convince family.
2. Test of emotional strength

This option can be adhered to with following course of action:

Allay fears of family:  they can be told about precautions being taken by the state to ensure safety of doctors. Communicating with people functioning in the area might help pacify the family.

Securing family’s future: explain the insurance norms to strongest member of the family, options of alternative jobs and government’s policy in case of death during service.

Visit the state to meet needs of ailing patients: seek proper information about the problems persisting in the area. Make arrangement for proper safety of self and accompanying staff.

Such a situation presents an opportunity of show casing true sense of service, humanitarian values and fulfilment of underlying cause of becoming a doctor. It will not only help in growing as a human being but also help the family become strong and children turn into responsible citizens.