“One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest” †the Ethics of Patient...

â€Å"†¦She’s somethin’ of a cunt, ain’t she Doc?† Although Milos Foreman’s character, Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), put his opinion of Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher) in the most vulgar of terms, he was not so far from the truth. In the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), Nurse Ratched’s treatment and care of the patients was unethical when compared to the standards one would expect of a health care administrator. She used control over her patients to ensure order, without regard to the feelings and concerns of the patients. This issue is presented by the director, Milos Foreman, through symbolism, characterization and scenes. This, in turn, determines how the director wants us, as viewers, to feel about the issue. The†¦show more content†¦The psychiatrists, with Ratched present, concluded: Hes not crazy, but hes dangerous. Ratched insists on committing Mac in spite of the danger, and her superiors d efer. Thus we see Ratcheds need to win trumps good judgment. She does win. Mac comes within seconds of crushing her windpipe. The ethical thing to do following the attack would have been to assign Mac to the disturbed ward or to have him released into the custody of the corrections dept. She doesnt. She arranges a lobotomy for Mac. Thats how she wins. Ratched destroys Macs ability to function at all; she neutralizes him; she takes away his humanity. There are many situations in which Nurse Ratched exhibits control over her patients, by treating them as subordinates, humiliating them and de-masculinizing them without concern for their well-being. She uses control to withhold simple privileges, such as being able to watch a baseball game on the television, tub privileges and their right to have possession of cigarettes. It seems she actually derives satisfaction from this through hints of smiles, which are so seldom seen. This only brings about anger and hostility in the patients because of the way she treats them: like children instead of men. This is put best when one patient, Charlie Cheswick (Sydney Lassick) says, â€Å"Rules? Piss on your fucking rules, Miss Ratched! ... I ain’t no little kid! When you’re gonna have cigarettes kept from me likeShow MoreRelatedThe Code Of Ethics : Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde By Robert Louis Stevenson2048 Words   |  9 Pagesof ethics; which focus on providing our patients with respect, and protecting their right to make their own decisions. The practice of nursing is governed by the American Nurses Association, which the cornerstone of the association is the code of ethics. Nonmaleficence, beneficence, fidelity, autonomy, justice are just a few of the ethics that nursing focuses on to provide adequate patient care. Autonomy means to respect the patient’s right to make their own decisions. Returning to a patient whenRead MoreAnalysis Of Patrick Mcmurphy s One Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest Essay1544 Words   |  7 PagesWould one choose a psychiatric hospital or hard labor? For Randle Patrick McMurphy, in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, the choice was obvious: an Oregon psychiatric hospital. McMurphy had managed to fake insanity to bypass a sentence of prison for time in the Nurse Ratched’s psych ward (Kesey). His facade raised the questions on the authenticness of mental illness, challenging how a psychiatrist must trust his/her patie nt. David Rosenhan demonstrates the possibility of incorrect diagnoses in hisRead MoreAre You Really Insane? Essay1544 Words   |  7 PagesWould you choose a psychiatric hospital or hard labor? For Randle Patrick McMurphy, in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, the choice was obvious: an Oregon psychiatric hospital. McMurphy had managed to fake insanity to bypass a sentence of prison for time in the Nurse Ratched’s psych ward. His facade raised the questions on the authenticness of mental illness, challenging how a psychiatrist must trust his/her patient. David Rosenhan demonstrates the possibility of incorrect diagnoses in his Rosenhan experimentRead MoreAddiction Psychology4561 Words   |  19 Pages ADDICTION REVISION Biological Models of Addiction MODEL ONE: GENETICS McGue (1999) found that genes contribute to the development of alcohol dependence, with heritability estimates from 50-60% for both men and women. Noble et al (1991) found that the A1 variant of the DRD2 (Dopamine Receptor) was present in more than 2/3 of deceased alcoholics. Those with the A1 variant appear to have fewer dopamine receptors; they then turn to drugs and alcohol to increase their dopamine levels – compensating