Ethic and Values Flashcards
Ethics
Ethics- the philosophical ideas of right and wrong behaviour based on what you think you ought to do
(reflects what matters most to people)
Values
Values- a strong personal belief or ideals of a person or group.
(inner standard of what is good and bad behaviour)
- Influences behaviour
- is social and culturally influenced
- varies and changes overtime
Nursing Ethics
focused on the nurse-client relationship, moral character of the nurse, and the nurse as a moral agent
guided by CNA code of ethics
CNA Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses
Part 1 - values and ethical responsibilities
Part 2- ethical endeavours related to broad social issues
- nurses are moral agents and have the responsibility to conduct themselves ethically. involves self-reflection and communication
Ethical Problem
conflict between one or more values and uncertainty about the correct course of action (what is right or wrong?)
ex: a mother refuses treatment for her 8 year old, whose autonomy should you respect?
Ethical Dilemma
Type of ethical problem. when there are equally compelling reasons for and against one or more possible course of actions
ex: pt with coccyx pressure injury who is incontinent and has advanced dementia refuses a brief change. do you respect the patients decision, or are they unable to make that choice and you should use restraints?
Ethical (moral) distress
when you know (or believe you know) the right thing to do, but you cannot take the right action due to systematic issues or your voice isn’t being heard
ex: the medical team wants to discharge a patient based on blood result, however the patient is not functioning at their baseline prior to admission and does not have social supports. you voice your concerns but they do not think that is a valid reason to delay discharge into community
Ethical Residue
What nurses experience when they have compromised their values
ex: the team agrees to restrain a pt with dementia who has aggressive behaviours, however you know it is because needs were not being met and thats how they are communicating. You are told to restrain them anyways, so you do.
Ethical disengagement
when nurses disregard their ethical commitment (can be from feeling unheard)
ex: consistently ignored at team meetings, so you stop voicing your opinions
Ethical courage
when you stand firm on your decision because you believe it is the right thing to do, regardless of fear or consequence
ex: when the nurse was arrested for refusing to take blood from an unconscious patient
CNO ethical standards
a nurse must
- identify and communicate ethical issues
- identify options to resolve issues
- evaluate effectiveness of action
- reflect on own values and ensure they do not conflict with professional standards
CNO ETPs of ethical practice
- understands difference between ethical and legal considerations and relevance to providing care
- respects clients choices
- uses ethical framework and evidenced-informed decision making to address ethical dilemmas
CNA professional nursing values
- provide safe, compassionate, competent and ethical care
- promote health and wellbeing
- promote and respect informed decision making
- honour dignity
- maintain privacy and confidentiality
- promote justice
- be accountable
CNO professional nursing values
- client wellbeing
- client choice
- privacy and confidentiality
- maintaining committments
- truthfulness
- fairness
Why is it important to understand your own values
- things we assume are common sense are actually culturally formed
- we face ethical issues that aren’t clearly outlined in a protocol
- if we follow our instincts and reactions alone, we may be following a belief system that is based on unjust reasoning
Deontology
defines actions as right and wrong, not based on consequence
- if the act involves respecting autonomy, provides good and is just, it is ethical
ex: a child is sick and unable to make their own decisions, the mother refuses treatment
Utilitarianism
main emphasis is on outcome of the action. It is choosing the course that provides the greatest good for the greatest amount of people
ex: mandatory vaccines protect the greater good, but take away individual autonomy.
Bioethics
obligation, reason-based and outcome-oriented
- decision making is based on 4 principles: autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice
(nursing ethics falls under category)
Feminist ethics
focuses on inequalities between people and power dynamics
ex: recognising power imbalance between nurse and patient
Relational ethics
importance on understanding relationships
- less to do with decision making, more about every day interactions
ex: showing respect for people, using methods to insert a needle the least painful way
Virtue ethics
focuses on the question of the character rather than action
- a person who determines certain virtues will most likely make the right moral decision
4 guiding principles of bioethics: beneficence
- Beneficence: to protect the patient from harm, doing and promoting good.
(utilitarianism)
ex: giving a needle (painful) to vaccinate a child is doing more good than harm
4 guiding principles of bioethics: Non-maleficence
avoiding harm, like the least harmful intervention. c
ex: restricting water at end of life to reduce brief changes, which cause pain during repositioning
4 guiding principles of bioethics: Autonomy
choice, privacy, freedom, self-determination free from controlling interference
ex: a patient consenting (pr refusing) surgery
4 guiding principles of bioethics: Justice
fair, equitable and appropriate distribution of health care services
ex: Triaging pts in ER is based on need, not ability to pay or race
How do you work through an ethical dilemma?
- determine whether the issue is an ethical dilemma
- gather data
- examine and determine your own values
- communicate/verbalize the problem
- consider possible course of actions
- reflect on the outcome
- evaluate the action and the outcome
