The Evolution of Leadership - Coursework Example

Leadership is all about directing people towards accomplishing a common goal. This topic has evolved over a period of time. The kind of leadership witnessed today has grown from previous foundations put in place in the previous years. Leadership has evolved in many sectors including healthcare facilities. There are also political choices that have been made that have generally affected the healthcare sector. This paper is mainly focusing on ethical issues in healthcare sector. Quality care is one of the major characteristics that have to govern health care facilities. These are very essential in ensuring patient's wellbeing. Workers in healthcare sectors also deserve to be treated fairly in order to serve patients well. Ethical issues in healthcare sector have also evolved with time. Initially, leaders in the healthcare sector were greatly concerned about the patients' welfare only. Later on the government made decisions that greatly helped in running of healthcare facility smoothly. (Bridgit, 2005) Leaders in healthcare facilities have to ensure that ethical issues have to be adhered to. Generally, there are moral values that have to adhere to in healthcare sector. Each judgment or decision that is made in healthcare facilities has to adhere to these rules. Ethics in the healthcare sector is an issue that has not been started today. This issue can be traced back to the eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries. During this time leadership has changed hands and the leaders that have been in power have in one way or the other influenced the decisions that are made in the healthcare sector. In the year eighteen forty seven, there was the overall adoption of the overall code of ethics in the healthcare sector by the American Medical Association. Between the sixties and seventies, there was such a dramatic shift in the ethics sector. There were major changes that were made including liberalization of the whole theoretical aspects. In fact there was reconfiguration from justice that was procedurally based to bioethics in general. There are various values that underpin the entire practice in healthcare sector. These are concerned with ethical decisions and actions taken in healthcare sector. The values actually provide a framework where conflicts can easily be understood in case of occurrence in the healthcare sector. They include the following. Dignity This aspect means that patients attending a healthcare facility have the right to dignity. This does not just refer to the patient only, but the doctor or the nurse too. Autonomy Another value in line with healthcare profession is overall acceptance of right of an individual making choices by him or herself but it should be an informed one in line with their care. This means that people have the right to make their own decisions in line with health care they prefer. (Kerridge, 2006) This however should be done after being given complete and accurate information by nurses etc. This means that nurse should inform patients about care available and then respect their decision. This is whereby the patient has the overall right to choose or even accept the treatment. This means that the patient is the final decision maker concerning his or her treatment. In case the patient I incapacitated, then a close relative can make the health decisions of their behalf. Beneficence This is whereby a medical practitioner is required to act to the patient's best interest. This means that whatever action is taken by a doctor or nurse has to enhance the well being of the patient. If the action that is to be taken is not to the patient's best interest, then it would not be ethical at all. This concerns all the actions that are taken including surgery. This concept is generally very much in line with the principles of humanity. Justice This aspect involves distribution of resources in healthcare facilities. This also concerns the resources that are scarce. In this case those that are involved or the medical practitioners have to ensure that they are fair when distributing such resources. This is in relation to who should be allocated the resources or not. This has to be carried out without partiality. (Luciano, 2006) Non-maleficence In this ethical principle, it is a requirement that physicians or medical practitioners don't describe any medicine that may be harmful to the patient. This is especially when the physicians know very well that the medicine prescribed is not safe for the patient. Nurses also have to be responsible and accountable in line with their overall roles. In this case nurses have the obligation of ensuring that they provide safe and competent care to patients. They also have the overall right to decline participation in procedures that are against their conscience in the moral sense. In such a case they have to ensure that the safety of the patient is not compromised. In case there is an unsafe practice then they have to report the matter. Nurses also have to promote aspects that promote well being. These include an environment that is ecologically sustainable. They have to value social, economic and environmental ethics. All these promote good health in people Respect One of the core values in health is in line with respecting an individual's culture, values, needs and his or her vulnerability in overall provision of required nursing care. This means respecting a patient's place in his family and also recognizing diversity of patients or people they attend to. This includes their spiritual values health and their social status. Confidentiality Another value includes holding confidence whatever information that they obtain in line with their profession. This highly applies to information got from patient doctor conversations. This is part of the oath that is taken by doctors before they are allowed to go to the field. They also have to make judgments according to their profession in case they have to share information due to safety of an individual, therapeutic benefit and at the same time make sue that they maintain privacy. Honesty and truthfulness Doctors and medical practitioners are normally required to speak the truth concerning their actions. Healthcare workers also have to be treated fairly when they are in line of in duty. Any employer in the healthcare sector has to follow guidelines concerning how to treat healthcare workers. Research shows that this aspect has generally evolved over time. Health practitioners need to be protected from infection when in line with duty. This is due to the fact their profession exposes them to infections very easily. Safety is an aspect that employers have to consider in healthcare sector. They have to ensure that necessary equipment and material are available for protection of employees. This includes gloves and other protective clothing. In this era where HIV AIDS is quite prevalent, this is very essential. There are also many diseases that are easily transferable from patients to healthcare workers. Some of the diseases are airborne and therefore healthcare workers have to have face masks to protect them. This is part and parcel of the ethics in healthcare facilities. Research shows that there have been instances in history where political leaders have campaigned for reforms in healthcare sector. This has influenced the enactment of policies and regulations that see to it that employees are rightly protected. (Pattison, 2004) Leadership in healthcare sector has greatly evolved. This is especially in relation to leadership styles that are incorporated in healthcare sector. Initially, many leaders in this sector used the autocratic style of leadership. This is whereby patients had very little to do or contribute to their healthcare decisions. In most cases, patients were simply given prescriptions that they were required to take. There was very little explanation from the medical practitioners. This is not the case in this twenty first century. With updated studies, leadership styles that are incorporated in healthcare sector are quite diverse. Research has shown that in this era, leader in healthcare facilities have learnt to incorporate all the leadership styles depending on the situation at hand. These styles include participative style, autocratic and leisez faire. In participative style, employees are actively involved in decision making process. The autocratic style on the other hand is where the leaders just make the decisions without consulting the staff. In this case, the staffs are required to adhere to the decisions without questions. The latter style of leadership is where employees are solely allowed to make decisions. It is normally very effective where employees are highly experienced and are therefore competent enough. This is part of great evolution that has taken place in healthcare sector. (Quinn, 2006) Political choices have also influenced the administration of healthcare facilities as a whole. There are various political choices that have been made in United States in particular. They include choices of incorporating democracy among other issues. In this case, each person's decision and stand is deemed as very important. This has also influenced the running of healthcare facilities where democracy is embraced. Patients are allowed to make their own decisions concerning the type of treatment they want. This is after they are informed of the available options and the pros and cons of each option. In conclusion, leadership is all about a person or a group directing others to achieve a common goal. Leadership has greatly evolved over time and this can be witnessed even in healthcare sector. All the activities that are normally carried out in healthcare facilities have to adhere to ethical standards. These have been influenced by various political choices and decisions that have been made in the past. Ethical issues include dignity, autonomy, justice, confidentiality, non-malificence and respect. All these well carried out help in protecting both the patients and the caregivers in healthcare facilities. Reference: Bridgit, C. (2005): The code of practice in Nursing and social care; London; Harvard Press Kerridge, I. (2006): Ethics and Law for the Health Professions; Katoomba; Social Science Press Luciano, P. (2006): Social Studies Content Leader; Bethune Middle School 770; 354; 3352 Pattison, J. (2004): Are Nursing Code of practice ethical Overall view; New York; Prentice Press Quinn, K. (2006): The principles and Practice of Nurse education; New York; Macmillan Press Read More