Essay Example: Critical Analysis of Lisa Newton's In Defense of the Traditional Nurse

In the field of medicine as a whole, several controversial issues have always raised debate among the professionals of both the medical field as well as philosophy and religion. For a long time now, defensive medicine and nursing have always evoked negative responses from religious proponents. For such individuals, especially regarding nursing, the priority of the practitioner should be the patient. Therefore, in this context, this confab will explore defensive nursing using Confucius analects to point out the amoral aspect of the practice.

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However, before delving into the critical analysis of In Defense of the Traditional Nurse, one must consider the definition of defensive practice and morality and ethics within the field of medicine and science. Consequently, according to Kuhse and Singer, defensive medicine involves the preparation of recommending patient care that is not necessarily the best for the patient but a choice that mainly serves the interests of the nurse in their protection against liability (700). On the other hand, ethics and morality refer to the accepted guidelines that govern a person, in this context, a nurse regarding her care for their patients.

Confucianism as a philosophy emphasizes both individual and institutional morality, justice, social correctness, kindness and sincerity. In this context, the philosophy teaches of concepts such as karma which refers to the phenomenon of someone attracting what they deserve. In this regard, therefore, a subscriber of this philosophy must live a kind life to attract kindness. In the same way, Confucianism also emphasizes personal morality and institutional morality. Here the principles of compassion and honesty go hand in hand hence in the case of a nurse attending to a patient, according to Confucius principles the priority of a nurse should be the patient regardless of the risks associated to them.

Unlike this notion and blind belief, professionals in the field of nursing have over the years through experience learned that the traditional nurse is at risk while attending to their patients. It is, for this reason, the using Confucius view one would argue that Lisa Newton's journal is against the principles of morality as it constitutes somewhat the selfishness of the nurse when attending to the patients who according to Buddhism for example, which is a significant tenet of Confucianism is the person in need. Accordingly, defensive nursing constitutes to selfish and unkind practice which, when perceived from this religious point is amoral.

Another aspect of defensive medicine is its protection of practitioners from liability in cases where risky procedures may be required of the patients under their care. For example, and arguably the most trivial aspect of bioethics is abortion. For many years, until today, the subject of abortion has always arisen trivia and controversy regardless of the reasons behind the procedures. Nonetheless, nurses or doctors who perform the processes have been able to rest easy due to the efforts of such people like Newton. All the same Confucius analects remain against the practice.

According to Glover's the Sanctity of Life, any form of disregard of life from a religious point of view is amoral and should not be considered in nursing practice. Glover brings into light the dilemma that doctors and nurses experience when dealing with patients who are on their death beds or are suffering from a terminal illness. While Glover persists with his proposition of the sanctity of life even in such a situation, in an analysis of Glover's argument, one can argue that there are two interpretations of his cases (266). On the negative which is pertinent to the medical field, one cannot justify keeping some people alive whose life is not worth keeping alive. Another point that he proposes is the direct objections to killing where Glover says that to evaluate that life is sacred by distinguishing immediate complaints and side effects that result in the death (265).

Another aspect of the dilemma regarding religion and the arguments of defensive medicine is the dignity of a patient. In a hospital, the patient They are neither mere objects to be manipulated by a professional nor subservient individual who has waived their right simple by becoming a hospital patient. In Confucian philosophy, morality entails the preservation of life similar to Glover's arguments regardless of whether a person deserves to die or not. It promotes the conservation of the lives of patients irrespective of whether they pose a risk to the nurses if they undergo a procedure or if the family can no longer afford to pay for life support.Conclusively the arguments of both proponents of Confucius and Newton have credibility in their respects. While the hypothetical examples used by both sides of the debate are relevant concerning the field of each, there are still some things that need to come into play when considering defensive medicine. Inferring from the discussion above, it is evident that it is essential to consider the consequences and the risks posed to the nurses as well as the family of the patients regarding the safeguarding the person who is better dead than alive. Nonetheless, like Glover argues, taking a life is always wrong from all perspectives, even though one may have the reasons not to object it, death is inherently wrong. In this context, therefore, Confucius analects prove to have more arguments since it invokes inherent human nature which is morality and kindness.

Works Cited

Cohen, Martin. "Bioethics: an Anthology: Edited by Helga Kuhse and Peter Singer, Oxford and Malden, Blackwell, 1999, 600 pages, £ 18.99/$39.85 (sc)£ 60/$74.95 (hc)." (2001): 358-358.

Glover, Jonathan. "The sanctity of life." Bioethics: An anthology 2 (2006): 266-275.