Paper Example on Ethical Principles in Downsizing Departmental Workforce

Introduction

Healthcare administrators should adhere to ethical principles when it comes to downsizing of the workforce. Ethical principles, when followed by the administrators, will make them make rational decisions prior to downsize the workforce (Monagle & Thomasma, 2005). Governed by the ethical principles, the administrator will determine the impact of downsizing, evaluate the benefits, and be able to identify if there are additional means of workforce improvement apart from the reduction of personnel.

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Human is dignified beings, hence should be treated with the respect they deserve. Ethical administrators will consider this fact before the layoff process, for instance, communicating the workforce reduction decision to the affected employees. The following paper considers the ethical principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice in handling the entire workforce reduction by the departmental administrators.

Nonmaleficence

According to the Hippocratic ethical teaching, the ethical principle of nonmaleficence has outlined the need for not inflicting harm, but provide benefit for an action undertaken (Baylis, 2010). Therefore, nonmaleficence can be described by various ethical theories which include consequentialism which regards harm to be as a result of inhibiting the good or lessening its magnitude. A deontologist considers harm as something inhibiting us from conducting our duties. In clinical perspective, harm is regarded as that which makes the health status of the patient to become worse, which may be as a result of downsizing of the departmental workforce, hence clinical services may be affected. However, downsizing may be for the good of the healthcare premise as there may be resources saved from the previous wage bill expenditure to smoothen the operations.

Therefore, from a consequentialist point of view, downsizing of the workforce may be for the greater utility as the dismemberment of certain employees will benefit the procedures undertaken in the healthcare premise. For instance, previously paid wages to the laid-off workforce can be harnessed for the prosperity of the organization as the patients will be well taken care of. Moreover, a huge workforce may cause harm to the patients as the administrator may not adequately supervise the operations of the healthcare personnel. Some personnel when not properly supervised may neglect their duties, and this impacts directly to the patients by causing them harm (Baylis, 2010).

Beneficence

Beneficence is a step higher than mere avoiding to do harm. It suggests the altruistic act of being required to morally undertake direct and decisive actions to help individuals in want. From a consequentialist point of view, beneficence entails taking action for the good of the greater number of people to be affected. Therefore, in a healthcare setting, the ethical principle of beneficence is considered to be significant in improving the health status of the patients involved (Gill, 2008). Certain ethical theories, for instance, ethical egoism, is not part of healthcare ethics as the good is directed towards the alleviation of suffering from a great number of patients rather than the healthcare institution.

The downsizing of healthcare personnel has to follow the ethical principle of beneficence as the basis is on offering exceptional service to the greater patients rather than the few practitioners who may seek self-gratification. As an effective administrator, the procedure of lay-off of personnel should be based on healthcare practitioners who do not give their all to the patients, as the healthcare profession should be comprised of selfless individuals who have the patients' interest at heart. Moreover, downsizing should focus on health professional who is not kind to instill common morality in clinical practice for the sole benefit of the greater patients.

Justice

Something is considered to be just when it is morally acceptable to be right. Therefore, injustice is deemed to be unfair treatment in handling a process which the result in impacts on the other party involved. Justice implies the parties engaged in a common conflict should be treated with similar preference. However, compromise can be made based on the differences presented by either party (Gill, 2008). Procedural justice accounts for equality in the delivery of justice, that none of the warring party being above the law, and that due process will be followed. Therefore, procedural justice seeks to uphold the dignity of either party involved in the case.

The dignity of the personnel has to be upheld when it comes to the termination of employment for various reasons known by the administrator. The reasons for downsizing the workforce may be justifiable, for instance, the economic situation of the institution. Therefore, due process is applied to ensure none of the party involved is discriminated against. For example, distributive justice will enable the administrator to follow correct procedure of terminating the employment of the health care practitioner which include serving them with prior notice, paying them lay-off benefits, and among others (Monagle & Thomasma, 2005).

Conclusion

The downsizing of the workforce may be inevitable, but for the greater good of the patients and the general betterment of the clinical environment. During such cases, the administrators involved have to ensure they adhere to strict ethical principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. Strict compliance with the ethical principles will make the laid off personnel be at peace, and it will be a win-win situation for the parties involved.

References

Baylis, F. (2010). The healthcare ethics consultant. Totowa, N.J.: Humana Press.

Gill, R. (2008). Health care and Christian ethics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Monagle, J., & Thomasma, D. (2005). Health care ethics. Sudbury, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.