By Dr. Kevin Kupietz
Although heroic actions are to be commended and celebrated, often they come with a cost. Too many emergency responders die in the line of duty each year. Often these deaths are preventable and result in no perceivable benefit to the community, such as the saving of a civilian life. Beneficenceethicsexamines the risk-versus-reward of actions in terms of the patient or the one needing help. This article discusses the beneficence ethics of taking risk by the responder and the rewards to be gained by the individual or the community to the cost that may be realized through these actions. By understanding the relationship of risk to ethics, responders will be able to more realistically examine organizational behavior to determine if adjustments may need to be made in the name of ethics.
How Do Beneficence Ethics Affect Prehospital Care Responders' Risk?
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