Ethical and Bioethical Issues and Healthcare

Question 1

Nursing Ethics

Answer 1

System of principles that govern the actions of the nurse in relation to patients, families, other HCP, policymakers and society.

Question 2

Code of Ethics

Answer 2

• Implicit standards and values for the profession.
• American Nurses Association Code of Ethics
• International Council of Nurses Code for Nurses

Question 3

Bioethics

Answer 3

• Interdisciplinary field within healthcare to address questions that arise as science and technology produce new ways of knowing.
• Physicians, nurses, social workers, psychiatrists, clergy, philosophers, and theologians are joining to address ethical questions in health care

Question 4

Bioethical Dilemmas: Life, Death and Dilemmas in between

Answer 4

1. Life and Death
2. Quality of Life
3. Right to decide
4. Informed Consent
5. Alternative treatment issues
6. Stem cell research
7. Therapeutic and reproductive cloning
8. In vitro fertilization, donor insemination
9. Surrogate motherhood
10. Organ transplantation

Question 5

Values Formation and Moral Development

Answer 5

Quality of complex health care decisions depends on the level of moral development of the professionals entrusted with decision making

• Values Essential for the Professional Nurse (4)

Question 6

Values Essential for the Professional Nurse

Answer 6

1. Altruism
2. Autonomy
3. Human Dignity
4. Social Justice

Question 7

Altruism

Answer 7

Concern for the welfare of others

Question 8

Autonomy

Answer 8

Right for self-determination

Question 9

Human dignity

Answer 9

Respect for inherent worth and uniqueness of individuals and populations

Question 10

Social Justice

Answer 10

Acting in accordance with fair treatment regardless of economic status, race, ethnicity, age, citizenship, disability, or sexual orientation.

Question 11

Ethical Theory

Answer 11

A system of principles by which a person can determine what ought and ought not to be done

Question 12

Utilitarianism

Answer 12

• Rooted in the assumption that an action or practice is right if it leads to the greatest possible balance of good consequences, or to the fewest possible bad consequences
• Strongest approach for bioethical decision making—Which action will lead to the greatest ratio of benefit to harm for all persons involved?

Question 13

Deontology

Answer 13

• Rooted in the assumption that humans are rational and act out of principles that are consistent and objective, and compel them to do what is right
• A decision is right only if it conforms to an overriding moral duty and wrong only if it violates that moral duty
• All decisions are made in such a way that the decision could become universal law

Question 14

Purpose of Ethical Principles

Answer 14

Establish common ground among nurse, patient, family, other health care professionals, and society for discussion of ethical questions and ethical decision making

Permit people to take a consistent position on specific or related issues

Provide an analytical framework by which moral problems can be evaluated

Question 15

Autonomy

Answer 15

Principle of respect for the person: primary moral principle

Unconditional intrinsic value for all persons

People are free to form their own judgments and actions as long as they do not infringe on the autonomous actions of others

Concepts of freedom and informed consent are grounded in this principle

Question 16

Beneficence

Answer 16

• To Promote goodness, kindness, and charity
• To abstain from injuring others and to help further their own well-being by removing harm.
• Risks of harm must be weighed against possible benefits

Question 17

Nonmaleficence

Answer 17

• Implies a duty not to inflict harm
• To abstain from injuring others
• To help others further their own well-being by removing harm.

Question 18

Veracity/Fidelity

Answer 18

• Principle of truth-telling.
• To develop trust between providers and patients
• Truthful interaction and meaningful communication must occur.

Question 19

Justice

Answer 19

• Specify the reasons for the action.
• Clearly present the ethical basis for actions.
• Understand the shortcomings of the justification.
• Anticipate objections to the justification.

Question 20

Paternalism

Answer 20

• Provider tried to act on behalf of the patient and believes that his or her actions are justified b/c of a commitment to act in the best interest of the patient.
• Interferes with a patients right to self-determination.