Chapter 22 Flashcards
What is an ethical dilemma? How are they resolved?
– ethical dilemma: when 2 opposing courses of action can both be justified by ethical principles
- almost always occur due to conflicting values
– resolved by distinguishing among values, facts, and opinion; there is no right answer in a true ethical dilemma
Distinguish between deontology, utilitarianism, casuistry, feminist ethics, and ethics of care?
– deontology: right and wrong are defined based on adherence to rules and principles
– utilitarianism: value is determined based on usefulness
- consequentialism: outcomes/consequences-focused
– casuistry: case-based reasoning; focuses on details of a situation
– feminist ethics: focus on nature of relationships to make decisions
– ethics of care: delivery of health care based on ethical principles and standards of care
What is moral distress? How can it be offset?
– moral distress: when a HCW feels the need to take a specific action while believing that action to be wrong
– can be reduced or offset by promoting discourse and communication
What is the purpose of an ethical committee? (3)
- providing clinical ethics consultation
- develop and revise policies pertaining to clinical ethics
- educate on clinical ethics
How is an intervention weighed based on the quality of life it will provide a patient?
any intervention that creates a burden for the patient/family must be offset by the benefit received from that intervention
