A physician refuses to order pain medication for a person with a substance use disorder who was severely injured in a car accident. When the CHN requests medication to be used p.r.n., the physician states that the client's suffering from the pain of his injuries will build character. What ethical theory is the physician using (or misusing)?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Virtue ethics emphasizes practical reasoning applied to character development. Although such action by a care provider is paternalistic and unethical on many grounds, the physician may truly have cared about enabling the injured person with a substance use disorder to learn from his experience and possibly become healthy.

A Physician Refuses to Order Pain Medication for a Person