Ch1 Ethical and Legal Foundations Flashcards
Define ethics
The system or code of conduct and morals advocated by a particular individual or group
Describe law
Set of governing rules
What is the purpose of ethics?
Elevates standards of competence, builds values and ideals
What is the purpose of laws?
Establishes minimum standards to protect the public
What is the punishment for breaking ethics?
Suspension or eviction from medical associations
What is the punishment for breaking the law?
Fines, imprisonment, revocation of license
What does ethics reflect?
Behaviors that reflect right or wrong
What does etiquette reflect?
Behaviors that reflect good manners
What’s the difference between ethics and etiquette?
Ethics are derived from moral values and may be above what is legal whereas protocols are the standards of etiquette at your employment
What are the 3 C’s of success?
- Courtesy - good manners
- Compassion - identifying with and understanding another person’s situation, feelings, and motives (not sympathy)
- Common sense - sound practical judgement
Besides the 3 C’s of success, what are other successful healthcare practitioner qualities?
People skills, technical skills, and critical thinking skills
What is professionalism?
Awareness of the conduct, aims, and qualities defining a given profession
(familiar with code of ethics and patient rights)
Most health care professions have a professional association that has developed a…
Code of ethics
What do codes of ethics do within a group?
- Govern the behavior of members
- Increase level of competence
- Increase standards of care
Hospitals and other healthcare organizations have…
Ethics committees
Ethics committees are comprised of…
- Doctors
- Nurses
- Social workers
- Bioethicist
What do ethics committees do?
- Clarify difficult issues and look at possible alternatives
- Help with conflict resolutions
Ethics committees are NOT…
Policy-making committees
Name 5 professional societies
- ASRT (American Society of Radiologic Technologists
- ARRT- American Registry of Radiologic Technologists
- OSRT - Ohio Society of Radiologic Technologists
- JRCERT - Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
- Joint Commission
Define bioethics
Study of ethical implications of biological research methods and results, especially in medicine
(no simple answers to ethical questions posed in bioethics)
What are examples of bioethics?
Organ transplant, reproductive technologies, animal research
What are the 7 principles of biomedical ethics?
- Autonomy: respect for the patient as a person
- Beneficience: performance of good acts
- Confidentiality: duty to protect patient’s privacy
- Justice: moral rightness
- Nonmaleficience: avoidance of evil
- Role Fidelity: faithfulness and loyalty
- Veracity: obligation to tell the truth and not lie
What is critical thinking?
Purposeful, self-regulatory judgement
What is critical thinking comprised of?
- Interpretation: know the problem/situation
- Analysis: ability to use ethical theories or models
- Evaluation: apply ethical theories or models to a given situation
- Inference: plan an appropriate plan of action
What are values?
Quality or standard that is desirable or worthy of esteem in itself
Name 3 types of values
- Professional values
- Personal values
- Cultural values
What are the 3 broad (ethical) schools of thought?
- Consequentialism -teleology
- Deontology
- Virtue ethics
Define consequentialism
Decisions based on the consequences or outcomes of a given act
What are 3 consequentialism questions?
- What is the good of this activity?
- What is the future benefit of this activity?
- Are the final outcomes good?
What do advocates do?
Provide the greatest good for the greatest number
Describe deontology
Decision-making on individual motives and morals rather than consequences
(significance of actions themselves)
Define virtue ethics
The focus on use of practical wisdom and moral character for emotional and intellectual problem-solving
What does virtue ethics do?
Incorporates elements of teleology and deontology to provide a more holistic approach to solve ethical problems
What are the 5 things ethical models are comprised of?
- Engineering: provider views patient as a condition or procedure
- Paternal/priestly: think s/he knows what is best for patients
- Collegial: mutual cooperation between patient and provider
- Contractual: business relationships in which both the provider and patient have obligations, rights, and responsibilities
- Covenantal: agreement between provider and patient ground in traditional values
Who recognized the important of a patient’s right to know?
American Hospital Association
What is the Dowd model of problem-solving?
- Assessment of the problem
- Isolate the issues
- Analysis of the data
- Development of a plan of action
- Institution of the plan
- Analyze the outcome
Describe the law
Body of rules of action or conduct prescribed by controlling authority
Has a binding legal force
What are the branches of the law?
- Administrative
- Criminal
- Civil
What does administrative law deal with?
Deals with licensing and regulation
What are the penalties for breaking administrative law?
Suspensions and revocation of license
ex) ARRT
What does criminal law address?
Addresses wrongs against the state
What are the penalties for breaking criminal law?
Fines, restitution, community service, incarceration
What does civil law address?
Addresses wrongs committed by one party harming another party
What are the penalties of civil law?
Monetary, damages to compensate for loss or to punish
What is statutory law?
Includes all laws enacted by federal, state, county, and city governments
What are components in statutory law?
Duty and negligence