Ethics and Values Flashcards
What is the definition of ethics?
the study of the philosophical ideals of right and wrong behaviour based on what you think you ought (or ought not) to do
What is the definition of values?
- a strong personal belief and an ideal that a person or group believe to have merit
- influence behaviour
- reflects cultural and social influences, relationships and personal needs
- varies among people, develops and changes over time
What is the definition of nursing ethics?
focuses on the moral questions within the sphere of noosing practice, the nurse-patient or nurse-client relationship, the moral character of nurses and the nurse as a moral agent
What framework guides ethical behaviour for nurses?
Code of ethics (2017) from the CNA
What are the two parts to the code of ethics?
values and ethical responsibilities
ethical endeavours related to broad societal issues
What is an ethical problem?
conflicts between one or more values and uncertainty about the correct course of action
What is an ethical dilemma?
when there are equally compelling reasons for and against one or more possible courses of action
- this is a type of ethical problem
What is ethical or moral distress?
nurses know or believe they know the right thing to do, but do not or cannot take the right action structural, policy issues, not having a voice
What is ethical residue?
what nurses experience when they seriously compromise themselves or allow themselves to be compromised
What is ethical disengagement?
can occur if nurses begin to see the disregard of their ethical commitment as normal
What is ethical courage?
is exercised when nurses stand firm on a point of moral principle or a particular decision about something in the face of overwhelming fear or threat to themselves
How does a nurse demonstrate ethics in relation to the CNO professional standard?
- identifying ethical issues and communicating them to the health care team
- identifying options to resolve ethical issues
- evaluating the effectiveness of their actions taken to resolve ethical issues
- identifying personal values and ensuring they do not conflict with professional practice
What are the CNO entry to practice competencies that are related to ethical practice?
#80. demonstrates knowledge of the difference between ethical and legal considerations and their relevance when providing nursing care #84. respects and preserves clients' choices based on an ethical framework #85. uses an ethical framework and evidence informed decision-making process to address situations of ethical distress and dilemmas
What are some ethical considerations in relationships with students?
nurses: recognize power differentials, treat people with respect, share knowledge, provide feedback and guidance for the professional development of the student
students: treat each other with respect and honesty, informs and requests permission from the person receiving care
nurses and students: “place the safety and well-being of the person in care above all other objectives, including fulfilling educational obligations”
What factors are involved in value formation?
- family experience
- moral development
- cultural, ethical, and religious communities
- individual experience
What are professional nursing values as outlined by the CNA?
- providing safe, compassionate, competent ethical care
- promoting health and well-being
- promoting and respecting informed decision making
- honouring dignity
- maintaining privacy and confidentiality
- promoting justice
- being accountable
What are professional nursing values as outlined by the CNO?
- client well-being
- client choice
- privacy and confidentiality
- respect for life
- maintaining commitments
- truthfulness
- fairness
What is values clarification?
the process of appraising one’s values helps a person decide priorities and make decisions
Why is values clarification important?
- identify one’s own values and beliefs through reflection and examination
- leads to better understanding others
- plays a key role in communication
- need to be aware of values of employers, patients, physicians, and other groups
Why is understanding your personal and professional values important?
- things we think are common sense are typically culturally formed
- all professions hold covert values, practices, and standards not written or articulated
- we are highly influences by the values ascribed by our peers in our working environment
- if we follow our instincts and reactions aline, we may be following a belief system based on unjust reasoning
What is the point of ethical theory?
- introduces clarity, substance, and precision of argument into the domain of morality
- helps to identify, articulate and analyze the ethical concerns/dilemmas
- facilitates the development of justifiable action
What theory defines actions as right or wrong?
deontology
What does utilitarianism believe?
- also called consequentialism
- proposes that they value of something is determined by its usefulness
What does bioethics believe?
- obligation and reason-based, outcome orientated
- decision making is guided by four principles: autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice
What theory focuses on inequalities between people?
feminist ethics
What theory emphasizes the importance of understanding relationships?
Relational ethics
- especially as they are revealed in personal narratives
What theory focuses on question of character rather than action?
virtue ethics
Describe beneficence.
- to protect the patient from harm
- to promote the patient’s welfare
- rooted in utilitarianism
Describe non-maleficence.
- obligation to do no harm
- one ought not to inflict evil or harm
- one ought to prevent evil or harm
- one ought to remove evil or harm
Describe Autonomy.
- personal self-governance
- free from controlling interferences
- key characteristics: choice, privacy, self-mastery, freedom, self-determination
Describe justice.
- fair, equitable, and appropriate distribution of societal goods, including health care services
What are the four steps of working through ethical conflict as outlined by the CNO?
- Assessment
- Plan/approach
- Implementation/action
- Evaluation/outcome
What is involved in assessment?
- examine your own beliefs, values, and knowledge, as well as other on the healthcare team
- consider policies and guidelines
What is involved in plan/approach?
- develop a plan that takes into account factors from the assessment, options, and consequences
- decide best course of action
What is involved in implementation/action?
- good communication and interpersonal skills
What is involved in evaluation/outcome?
- determine if the result is satisfactory
- reassess and replan if needed
What are the steps of analyzing an ethical dilemma?
- determine whether the issue is an ethical dilemma
- gather all relevant information
- examine and determine your own values
- verbalize the problem
- consider possible course of action
- reflect in the outcome
- evaluate the action and the outcome
What are some common ethical issues in nursing practice?
- patient care issues: futile care (quality of life), advanced care planning, medical assistance in dying, allocation of resources and access to care
- issues of safety and ethics in the work environment: social networking and safety, working with the healthcare team to promote safe care
