The Push and Pull of Ethics: Finding Your Path in Healthcare

Ethics is often a push pull struggle between the person, their duty, and service. It is important to know there is always an opportunity for contemplation and redemption. As we navigate the murky waters of policy changes, professional responsibilities, and leadership culture it is important to know there are occasions when no clear answer or a path without consequence is insight. The goal is to grow, learn, and always strive to make better decisions moving forward and create clinical cultures that are safe.

Creating Ethical Cultures from the Top Down

Creating ethical cultures must be from the top down, but that does not mean that you are not an agent of change! Channel your inner Steve Jobs, “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do” (Apple Inc., 1997).

Leadership’s Role in Healthcare Ethics

The challenge of leadership theory in healthcare has been a great one and an area of many evolutions. Many clinicians have been in the profession long enough to have been part of, worked under, or seen the many various styles of leadership take a stand to steer our clinical ships through smooth and rough waters.

Balancing Client-Centered Care with System Demands

A constant battle is that between client-centered care and the larger healthcare system. As you are in the healthcare system and are guided by mentors ask what values they hold themselves accountable to and in return what values are at your core. What value do you want to develop?

Finding Your Path in Clinical Practice

You may find that you are in the company of greatness and can flourish within the system to create ethical pathways caring for those in your service and through your personal commitment and dedication to your profession. You approach each day focusing on what you can do with skill, necessity, and thoroughness from eval to discharge to promote the best ideals of your profession.

Facing Uncertainty in Your Career

In contrast, you may be unsure of your path, facing unsure footing, peaks and valleys with which you feel you are destined to slide down. Opening your eyes to the terrain which can be both alluring and full of unexpected outcomes will allow you to step back and better assess your path and needs.

The River Metaphor: Small Actions, Big Change

A career in health care could be compared to a small mountain stream, which begins at its source, then flows down the mountain, gathering strength and eventually becoming a large, powerful river. The opportunity to influence this powerful river exists only at its beginnings, where small interventions can redirect its course, speed it up, or even change the side of the mountain it will flow down (Džakula et al., 2024, p. 404).

Rerouting the Stream

While this quote is true, remember, even a small pebble can change the path of water. It is never too late to reroute your stream. Change is hard, but each step is a step in the right direction, for you, your patients, and your clinics!

Reflection as a Tool for Growth

If you have found yourself reflecting on situations that you have been faced with in the ethical battleground be proud. Your self-reflection and desire to improve outcomes and professional approaches speaks volumes to your morality and commitment to ethical development.

Never forget what leads you to grow, but do not let the clouds of the past overshadow a bright future of positive change.

An Invitation: Ethics in Healthcare Webinar

The upcoming Ethics in Healthcare webinar from Summit will be a discussion-based platform looking at both pros and cons of various clinical scenarios presented, many of which we have all faced on multiple occasions. We will banter about potential outcomes and take the time to step back and discuss what can be done better in each scenario.

A Safe, Collaborative Space

This webinar will bring to light our various patient commitments within the different situations hopefully opening additional possibilities to consider or at least giving you a more multifaceted approach to consider as you face ethical challenges in your clinic day. The goal for this webinar is to consider a balance of options, give thought to multiple different possibilities, and deliberate over the variety of regulations challenging our various disciplines which may not always align succinctly. This will not be a black and white problem-solution approach, but an opportunity to share thoughts and concerns in a safe clinically minded space. We hope to see you there!

Closing Inspiration

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” – Simon Sinek