Negotiating the Tension Between Two Integrities: A Richer Perspective on Conscience (Conscience in Medicine)

Susan S Night

The American Journal of Bioethics
The American Journal of Bioethics

Extract
I think most would agree that to progress the debate over the role of conscience in medicine we must continue the conversation about the means and ends of medicine as suggested by Lawrence and Curlin (2007, 10). This must be done because the tensions that exist between negotiating one’s personal integrity and one’s professional integrity will never go away. These tensions are not exclusive to the profession of medicine, but are enhanced by potential conflicts between physician integrity and patient autonomy. The objective of the conversation should neither be to eliminate these tensions nor to narrowly compartmentalize them as having religious or secular origins. Rather, the objective of the conversation should be to first encourage each physician to engage in moral reflection upon what they believe is right or wrong and the source that informs these values. Only then will physicians be able to appropriately negotiate the tensions that exist between the moral duties of personal and professional integrity and engage in meaningful dialogue rather than disagreement with their peers and their patients.


Night SS. Negotiating the Tension Between Two Integrities: A Richer Perspective on Conscience (Conscience in Medicine). Am J Bioeth. 2007;7(12):24-26.

The Pharmacist’s Personal and Professional Integrity (Conscientious Objection and Emergency Contraception)

(Conscientious Objection and Emergency Contraception)

Howard Brody, Susan S Night

The American Journal of Bioethics
The American Journal of Bioethics

Extract
We conclude that, although a “duty to refer” may not describe very well an actual, working policy that effectively balances the duties of personal and professional integrity for the objecting pharmacist, Card’s (2007) mandatory-service policy fails at a basic level to respect the dual dictates of personal and professional integrity. A policy that attempts to maximize the extent to which both duties can be fulfilled might be denounced by Card as a “moderate” policy in the sense that he finds objectionable. Nonetheless, it is ethically the soundest option.


Brody H, Night SS. The Pharmacist’s Personal and Professional Integrity (Conscientious Objection and Emergency Contraception). Am J Bioeth. 2007;7(6):16-17.