Ethical Conflict: The Tuskegee Experiment
Opening with the narration of Eunice Evers, the nurse, the movie poses a conflict between the principles of respect for persons of a nursing specialist and the selfish goals that the institute pursued (Houser, 2015). As the story unwraps, it becomes evident that the Tuskegee Institute committed a crime against humanity, yet is not considered responsible for it (Houser, 2015). The further portrayal of the Tuskegee experiment makes the conflict between the principles of respect and the methods of the institution obvious (Houser, 2015). The authors of the experiment break the specified ethical principle by using them as a tool in their study.
The reveal of the strategy applied by the Tuskegee Institute is another graphic example of a conflict between ethics and research methods (American Psychological Association, 2010). The Hippocratic Oath demands that nursing specialists should provide patients with relevant information about their health issues (Houser, 2015). The Tuskegee Institute members, however, never do.
As soon as the money for the research is spent, the study is left unfinished, and the authors of the experiment head to Washington in order to receive permission to continue it. Meanwhile, Mrs. Evers finds out about the deceit, yet conceals the truth in hopes that the cure for syphilis will finally be found, therefore, contributing to the evolution of ethics based on respect for persons.
The Role of a Healthcare Professional
The movie shows in a rather obvious way that a healthcare professional must comply with the key ethical principles (Houser, 2015). Moreover, the movie defines the role of a healthcare professional as that of a source of both support and trustworthy information for the patient.
Reference List
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. (6th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Houser, J. (2015). Nursing research: Reading, using, and creating evidence. (3rd ed.). Boston: Jones & Bartlett.