Chapter 22 Ethics and Values Flashcards
Autonomy
refers to freedom from external control
Ex. a patient faces surgery, the surgeon has an obligation to review the surgical procedure, including risks and benefits, out of respect for the patient’s autonomy
Beneficence
refers to taking positive actions to help others, the best interests of the patient remain more important than self-interest - service to others
Non maleficence
avoidance of harm or hurt - balance between risks and benefits
Justice
fairness and equal access to health care resources, including distribution of resources
Ex. health insurance, organ transplants
Fidelity
the agreement to keep promises
Ex. unwillingness to abandon patients even when care becomes controversial or complex –> abortions
Code of ethics
set of guiding principles that all members of a profession accept
ANA
American Nurses Association
First set of codes of ethics
Advocacy
the support of a particular cause
Ex. health, safety, rights of patients, rights to privacy
Responsibility
willingness to respect one’s professional obligations and follow through on promises
Accountability
the ability to answer for one’s action
-ANA: national standards
Accountability : TJC
The Joint Commission: applies Accreditation
Confidentiality
widely respected
If violations occur: US Department of Health and Human Services take charge
HIPAA
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
Value
personal belief about the worth of a given idea, attitude, custom, or object that sets standards that influence behavior -reflect culture and social influences
Value formation
begins in childhood, shaped by experience within the family unit
Ex. schools, government, religion, friends
Ex. individual experiences: loss in early life values things different to those free of suffering
Values Clarification
Ethical dilemmas –> conflict: to resolve think VALUE, FACT, OPINION
Ethics are more
flexible than fixed
Deontology
actions as right or wrong based on their “right-making characteristics” – does not look at consequences
Ex. fidelity to promises, truthfulness, justice, and beneficence
Utilitarianism
relies on the application of a certain principle
-the value of something is based on its usefulness
Utilitarianism: Consequential-ism
main emphasis is on the outcome or consequence of action
Utilitarianism: Teleology
Greek meaning “end” - study of ends or final causes
Utilitarianism measures:
the effect that an act will have; deontology looks to the presence of principle regardless of outcome
-does not guarantee agreement
Feminist Ethics
critiques conventional ethics
practices solutions of the nature of relationships and positive values (power is unequal, point of view)
Ethics of Care
Like feminists, both promote philosophy that focus on understanding relationships with a personal narrative
