Current Events Ethical Dilemma 1

Running Head: CURRENT EVENTS ETHICAL DILEMMA

Current Events Ethical Dilemma
Catherine Gilmartin
Grand Canyon University: NRS 437V
October 26, 2011

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Introduction
The prosecution has rested in trial of Michael Jackson’s physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, who stands accused of involuntary manslaughter in relation to the death of Michael Jackson. Dr. Conrad Murray was hired by concert promoters to serve as Michael Jackson’s personal physician. He was paid $150,000 a month to ensure that Mr. Jackson was well enough to withstand the strenuous rehearsals and grueling schedule of his sold out comeback concerts.
The doctor was with the pop star six nights a week, helping him sleep. Mr. Jackson died June 25, 2009 of an apparent overdose. The prosecutors in the case, David Walgren and Deborah Brazil, both Los Angeles deputy district attorneys who, in their opening argument, told jurors that "misplaced trust in the hands of Conrad Murray cost Michael Jackson his life."The Los Angeles County coroner’s office determined that Michael Jackson died of acute propofol poisoning. Propofol is a drug that reduces anxiety and tension, and promotes relaxation and sleep or loss of consciousness. Propofol provides loss of awareness for short diagnostic tests and surgical procedures, sleep at the beginning of surgery, and supplement other types of general anesthetics. "Propofol is an agent that requires very close monitoring and is often limited only to use by anesthesiologists," said Dr. Richard Page, head of cardiology at the University of Washington medical center. "The main issue with this agent is respiratory depression, which in turn could cause cardiac arrest," (Moisse and Childs, 2011). Why would a doctor administer propofol outside of a hospital setting? How did he get the drug? These questions beg to ask, what were you thinking?

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Dr. Conrad Murray was a Houston cardiologist who gave up his practice to become Michael Jackson’s personal physician. He was given a huge salary and possibly got used to all the perks that came with being involved in the superstars’ inner circle. Michael Jackson had trouble going to sleep after grueling rehearsals and was requesting propofol which the doctor administered, ultimately resulting in his death. “Prosecutors have alleged that Dr, Murray was more concerned with his salary than with his patient. They called witnesses in an effort to show that Dr. Murray tried to hide evidence of the drugs he was giving to Mr. Jackson, “(Lovett, 2011). In the defenses’ opening statement, Dr Murray’s lawyers portrayed “Mr. Jackson as a drug-addicted insomniac, and suggested that he had either swallowed or injected himself with the prescription drugs that killed him while Dr. Murray was in the bathroom,”( Lovett, 2011). So Dr. Murray, knowing that Michael Jackson was addicted to prescription drugs, obtained and administered propofol outside of a hospital setting and left him unmonitored. Did the excitement of an opulent lifestyle allow Dr. Conrad Murray to forget the code of ethics he was supposed to live up to? I believe it did.
Ethical Implications
I believe that Dr. Murray was completely unethical in his behavior regarding Michael Jackson. He employed no ethical framework when he made the decision to administer the prescription drug propofol and then try and hide evidence of its use.
Values and Ethical Position
I base my values and ethical position on the ethical principles of Beneficence, Nonmaleficence, Veracity, and Respect for Persons. Beneficence requires that nurses act in ways

Current Events Ethical Dilemma 4 that benefit the patient. We are advocates for patients and we must put their needs before our own. That is the only way in which we can build trust. Nonmaleficence requires nurses to cause no harm to our patients.”Included in this principle are deliberate harm, risk of harm, and harm that occurs during the performance of beneficial acts”, (Burkhardt and Nathaniel, 2008, p. 63). Veracity is the principle of truth telling and is important for nurses. “Truth telling engenders respect, open communication, trust, and shared responsibility,”(Burkhardt and Nathaniel, 2008, p.65). Respect for persons says it all. As nurses we must respect each and every one of our patients regardless of their beliefs or walks of life. It is a major tenet of our profession. As you can see, none of these ethical principles played any kind of a role in Dr, Murray’s decision making process.
Alternatives
Dr. Murray’s ethical compass was nonexistent when it came to deciding how to treat Michael Jackson’s insomnia. An alternative to the problem would be to refuse to treat him at all when he made the request for propofol. He could have resigned his position based on his knowledge of the drug and moved on. This may or may not have spared Mr. Jackson as he could have hired another unethical physician. Another alternative is that he could have tried to get Michael Jackson in to treatment for his addiction. He may have gotten fired for trying to treat the underlying addiction but ethically, Dr. Murray would be on solid ground. Again, Mr. Jackson had the means to secure another physician who would medicate him, with the same outcome. A third alternative would be to break confidentiality by approaching the family and explaining the problem with administering propofol and the consequences to using this drug. Hopefully the

Current Events Ethical Dilemma 5 family would have stepped in and quietly helped to alleviate this problem. Dr, Murray could still have his job and Michael Jackson might be alive today. In my opinion, based on my values and ethical principles, I would have gone to the family and spoke of my concerns. I know I would be breaking the principle of confidentiality but I believe the end justifies the mean in this case. This brings in the theory of Deontology. The deontologist view that the “rightness or wrongness of the act depends upon the nature of the act, rather than its consequences,”(Burkhardt and Nathaniel, 2008, p. 39). By breaking confidentiality, I believe that informing the family would be the ethical thing to do. Due to Mr. Jackson’s stature in pop culture, he could easily be surrounded by people who may not have his best interest at heart and by making the family aware, they could hopefully protect him from these hanger-ons. Together we could work together to address Mr. Jackson’s addiction to prescription medications and hopefully get him the sleep he needs.
Evaluation
I don’t know if my plan of action would have worked but I know based on my values and ethical principles that I did the right thing. Dr. Murray is right now probably wishing that he had made better choices in regard to his patient. It is unfortunate that he didn’t apply the Hippocratic oath that he took all those years ago and stuck by his moral principles and not put himself before his patient.

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References
Burkhardt,M.A. & Nathaniel,A.K. (2008). Ethics and issues in contemporary nursing (3 ed.). Clifton Park, N.Y.: Delmar Cengage Learning.
Lovett, Ian. (2011) Prosecution rests in the manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson. The New York Time.. Retrieved October 29,201from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/us/prosecution.
Moisse, Katie & Childs, Dan. (2011). Michael Jackson death: What is propofol? Retrieved October 23, 2011 from http://www.ABCnews.gov/HealthDrugs.