a. Directly posting their own responses as answers to the questions below. Write in no more than 600 words but no less than 500 words.

1. What is the best theory for you in terms of practical usefulness? Think about your current or future role as an administrator. Will you use any of these theorists in making decisions?

2. What is the cost of beneficence? How would this practice affect your job as a health administrator as you would actively practice beneficence?

3. Patients expect an “I-Thou” relationship when they are in a healthcare facility. Often, the staff is so busy that this is difficult and patients become “Its.” What do you think is the best way to encourage staff to have an “I-Thou” or at least an “I-You” relationship with patients.

b. Reply to at least one classmate in no more than 200 words but no less than 150 words.

1. What is the best theory for you in terms of practical usefulness? Think about your current or future role as an administrator. Will you use any of these theorists in making decisions?

Reply to my classmate Discussion:

1. What is the best theory for you in terms of practical usefulness? Think about your current or future role as an administrator. Will you use any of these theorists in making decisions?

The best theory for me in terms of practical usefulness would be Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Reasoning due to the fact that it aids in the process of better understandings why people make decisions. In an administrative role, I experience several different types of people who differ in the decision making process and utilize different levels of reasoning. Utilizing Kohlberg’s theory, it is helpful to understand how both leaders and team members make their decisions. This theory is also useful to better understand my own decisions and defend my position. I can determine the ethical nature, or lack thereof, of decisions I make for the system. This will enhance my decision making ability and allow me to learn how to make more ethical and reasonable decisions moving forward.

As a relatively young leader, this theory also allows me to learn from good administrators on how to make valuable decisions for the organization. Good leaders often use an approach to decision making that permits moral, reasonable decisions for the group.

2. What is the cost of beneficence? How would this practice affect your job as a health administrator as you would actively practice beneficence?

Beneficence is the obligation “to create benefit and contribute to optimum health for individuals and the community at large (Morrison, 2016, p. 46).” As an administrator and a healthcare provider, practicing beneficence for patients means that an active decision must be made to act with compassion requiring myself to go beyond standards of care and patient needs. One of the biggest challenges with beneficence is to consistently treat patients with compassion even under stress. The cost of attempting to maintain an acceptable level of compassion can lead to compassion exhaustion and burnout. Practicing beneficence as an administrator also involves organizational cost/benefit analysis for decision making balancing business benefit vs potential harms. This analysis can be difficult to implement requiring data collection, thorough discussion, and effective application of decisions. As an administrator, I also hope to better understand the needs of the community my organization serves. This will lead to better decision making on the compassion needed to meet our patients’ needs.

3. Patients expect an “I-Thou” relationship when they are in a healthcare facility. Often, the staff is so busy that this is difficult and patients become “Its.” What do you think is the best way to encourage staff to have an “I-Thou” or at least an “I-You” relationship with patients?

As healthcare staff, the goal should be an I-THOU relationship when working with patients, holding their needs as most important during their care encounter. This relationship perspective should be taught during clinical training, focusing on patient care elements and not only clinical skills. In the healthcare facility, the concept of I-THOU should also be reinforced utilizing mentors, employee education, and frequent enforcement. There must also be a balance between patient care engagement and staff taking care of themselves. Staff needs adequate lunch breaks, appropriate shift schedules, and adequate caregiver: patient ratios. In an I-THOU relationship, each patient should be seen as different and having value. One method to promote this concept is to make staff caring for the patient aware of their background. The name of the patient should be clearly visible in the room. Perhaps, an interesting characteristic of the patient can also be demonstrated near their bed or in their chart. In an I-THOU relationship, staff must choose to consider patients to be beloved or special. Special and ongoing education would be helpful to encourage tolerance of differences and patience with all patients. Creating an organizational culture that stressing I-THOU relationships could increase image positivity and community trust of the healthcare system.

References
Morrison, E.E. (2006). Ethics in Health Administration: A Practical Approach for Decision Makers.

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