Summary
Modern civilization has witnessed a myriad of changes, especially in the healthcare sector. For instance, changes in modern medication and technology in healthcare delivery have resulted in opportunities and challenges for healthcare professionals. Besides, emerging changes in medicine and healthcare delivery have also been associated with debate on ethical issues in aspects such as medical imaging. It is against this reason that curricula for medical imaging training ought to capture several ethical issues that arise during service delivery (PGCert, 2000).
Annotated Bibliography
Berwick, D. et al. (1997). An ethical code for everybody in health care; A code that covered all rather than single groups might be useful, BMJ, 315 (7123): 1633.
This article is an editorial that calls for a common code of ethics in all areas of human medicine practice bearing in mind that dynamism has made it cumbersome for independent codes to operate effectively (Berwick et al., 1997). The authors assert that if patients are to be safe in the hands of health professionals, then ethical codes for both patients and medical professionals are mandatory. They further elaborate on the issue by posing possible situations when a single code of ethics might not work. By expounding various cases that have been cited in the past, they argue that the presence of a common code of ethics is essential especially when handling confusion that usually arises when professionals, managers and stakeholders in health care are in disagreement on certain ethical issues. The article concludes by urging the readers to offer their views on the importance of ethics in healthcare and especially in regard to medical imaging, the nature of the information that should be included, and the mode of implementation.
Castanette, S. (2008). Ethical Considerations in Medical Imaging: How Do Ethics Affect Our Patients and Our Practice? Web.
In their daily practice as healthcare experts, medical imaging professionals are sometimes faced with a variety of ethical issues. Although ethical issues in this discipline are not as is the case with mainstream medicine, medical technologists have no option but to learn how to tackle them in case they arise (Castanette, 2008). These ethical issues act as guidelines to medical imaging technologists on how to deal with patients, employers, colleagues, the profession itself and themselves as they carry out their responsibilities. The article is directed to students and practicing medical imaging professionals. It is a critical analysis challenge faced by medical imaging professionals in order to balance between good practices while observing sound ethics. In addition, she presents primary medical concepts that are considered in ethics application such as beneficence and justice. To sum up, it is an informative article to those interested in understanding ethical issues that arise when medical imaging professional is dealing with patients, colleagues and the hospital community at large.
PGCert, A. P. (2000). Ethical issues in medical imaging: implications for the curricula. Radiography, 6(4):293-298.
The changes being observed in medical imaging occasioned by advances in technology are increasing ethical dilemmas in the field of medicine (PGCert, 2000). It is against this backdrop that professionals have to prepare themselves well in solving emerging dilemmas by being conversant with ethical issues (PGCert, 2000). The author calls for a curriculum that addresses ethical issues that medical imaging professionals encounter in their day-to-day practice. His suggestion is supported by Vydareny (2004) who advocates for ethics training not just because it is a requirement but also for benefiting both patients and professionals.
The article also offers some advice to training providers on the importance of teaching ethics to their students in making them ready for real practice. The author concludes the article by emphasizing that medical professionals need to conform to prescribed ethics in order to restore uniformity in a workplace environment.
Torres, L.S., Norcutt, T.L. & Dutton, A. G. (2003). Basic medical techniques and patient care in imaging technology. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
This book is very insightful since it offers a wide range of information on ethical issues that medical imaging professionals should take into consideration when conducting ECG as well as special procedures such as bedside radiography. In addition, information on how to control and deal with adverse reactions especially in pediatrics and geriatrics cases is explained in detail.
The target audiences are radiographers and students since information on how to exercise safety in the jurisdiction of e medical imaging has been expounded in the book. According to Torres, Norcutt and Dutton (2003), radiographers should learn both the legal and professional ethics applicable in their field of practice.
Vydareny, K.H. (2004) Ethics Education in the Radiology Residency Curriculum. American Journal of Roentgenology, 183(3):573.
The article offers a critical analysis of commentary views that advocate for the incorporation of medical ethics in the medical imaging curriculum. The article highlights the importance of teaching ethics during residency programs especially when there are several changes taking place in imaging techniques and interventions procedures in the medical imaging profession. The author’s commentaries are directed to medical imaging curriculum developers and diagnostics radiologists. He backs his idea by asserting that teaching of ethics is indeed paramount in this profession and therefore should be compulsory for all (Vydareny, 2004). In addition, information on ethics will be vital when medical professionals are dealing with patients or when things go wrong during daily practice. He concludes by reiterating that training institutions are accountable to patients since resident radiologists are supposed to commit themselves to provide education on ethics.
References
Berwick, D. et al. (1997). An ethical code for everybody in health care; A code that covered all rather than single groups might be useful, BMJ, 315 (7123): 1633.
Castanette, S. (2008).Ethical Considerations in Medical Imaging: How Do Ethics Affect Our Patients and Our Practice? Web.
PGCert, A. P. (2000). Ethical issues in medical imaging: implications for the curricula, Radiography, 6(4):293-298.
Torres, L.S., Norcutt, T.L. & Dutton, A. G. (2003). Basic medical techniques and patient care in imaging technology. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Vydareny, K.H. (2004). Ethics Education in the Radiology Residency Curriculum, American Journal of Roentgenology, 183(3):573.