Ethical/Legal Flashcards
What are the common Ethical Principles within Nursing
- autonomy
- nonmaleficence
- beneficence
- paternalism
- justice
- veracity
- fidelity
Define autonomy
respect for an individual’s right to self-determination and to make decisions about their health care
Define nonmaleficence
obligation to do or cause no harm to another
Define beneficence
duty to do good to other and to maintain a balance between benefits and harms
Define paternalism
undesirable outcome of beneficence; HCP decidies what is best for the client and encourages client to act against their own choice
Define justice
equitable distribution of potential benefits and tasks determining the order in which clients should be cared for
Define veracity
obligation to tell the truth
Define fidelity
duty to do what one has promised
What is an ethical dilemma
occurs when there is a conflict between two or more ethical principles
What are the types of laws that govern the nursing profession
- contract
- civil
- criminal
- tort
Define contract law
concerned with enforcement of agreements among private individuals
Define civil law
concerns with relationships among persons and the protection of a person’s rights; violation may cause harm to an individual/property, but no grave threat to society exists
Define criminal law
concerned with relationships between individuals and governments, and with acts that threaten society and its order
Define tort law
a civil wrong in which the law allows an injured person to seek damage from a person who caused the injury
Define negligence
conduct that falls below the standard of care; including acts of commission and omission
