Ethics

Question 1

What are the four principles (pillars) of medical ethics?

Answer 1

1. Autonomy
2. Non maleficence
3. Beneficence
4. Justice

Question 2

What is autonomy?

Answer 2

Patients have the ultimate decision making responsibility for their own treatment (if competent)

Question 3

What is non maleficence?

Answer 3

Medical practitioners have a duty to do no harm or allow harm to be caused to a patient through neglect

Question 4

What is beneficence?

Answer 4

Medical practitioners have a moral duty to promote the course of action that they believe is in the best interest of the patient

Question 5

What is justice?

Answer 5

Deciding whether something is ethical, compatible with the law and patient’s right and if it is fair and balanced (also means that it must be ensured that nobody is unfairly disadvantaged when it comes to access to healthcare)

Question 6

What is the four quadrants approach?

Answer 6

1. Medical indications
2. Patient preferences
3. Quality of life
4. Contextual features

Question 7

What are medical indications (four quadrants approach)?

Answer 7

Obtaining a clear picture of the medical facts and probabilities

Question 8

What are patient preferences (four quadrants approach)?

Answer 8

Focuses on the wishes of the patient, if competent or presumed wishes if not

Question 9

What is quality of life (four quadrants approach)?

Answer 9

How will medical interventions affect the patient’s quality of life? What are the prospects, with or without treatment, for a return to normal life?

Question 10

What are contextual features (four quadrants approach)?

Answer 10

Context including economic/religious/cultural factors, confidentiality issues, impact of the decision on the patient’s family and medical team and any personal biases of doctors/nurses that might influence treatment decisions