ETHICS IN HEALTH CARE Flashcards
Deprived of the Greek word “Ethos” meaning custom or character. It means;
A method of inquiry that assists people to understand the morality of human behavior (the study of morality)
It refers to the practice of a certain action
It also refers to the expected standards of behavior of a particular group. These standards are described in the Code of Professional Conduct
ETHICS
Ethics as applied to life (i.e to life and death decision making) It is also known as applied or practical ethics.
Relates to those ethical issues that are raised because of new technologic developments in medicine and biological sciences
BIOETHICS
refers to the conduct or behavior that by reason of public approval or practice has become customary among professional nurses
NURSING ETHICS
THE PERSONAL STANDARDS OF RIGHT OR WRONG (what ought to or should be done)
MORALITY
are concepts or ideas that give meaning to one’s life and provide a framework for one’s decision and actions
VALUES
looks to the consequences of an action in judging whether the action is right ot wrong
TELEOLOGY
the principle of utility which maintains that we ought to produce the greatest balance of value over disvalue for all those affected.
“the greatest good for the greatest number” and “the end justifies the means”
UTILITARIANISM
Focuses on the concepts of duty, rationally inherent rightness/wrongness of actions) and obedience to rules
DEONTOLOGY
the notion that people inherently know what is right or wrong; determining wha is right is not a matter of rational thought or learning
INTUITIONISM
recognized as the central goal of nursing as well as the basic for nursing ethics
Unlike the other theories, caring is based on relationships
CARING
FIVE ATTRIBUTES OF CARING
COMPASSION, COMPETENCE, CONFIDENCE, CONSCIENCE, COMMITMENT
: self-rule or self-governance
Refers to the right to make one’s decisions (as long as it does not injure/infringe on the autonomous right/actions of others)
AUTONOM
“the willing and uncoerced acceptance of the medical interviontion by the patient after adequate disclosure by the health professional of the mature, its expected risks and benefits and alternatives available
It is a free and voluntary act to accept/or not any interventions
INFORMED CONSENT
it involves the person’s age, and his/her mental ability to understand the effects of his/her choice/decisions
Capacity/Competence
: to make appropriate decision, a person needs information based on which to weigh the risks/benefits in the light of onee;s value and good and make rational choices
Disclosure of Information
the person can exercise his choice free of coercion and other forms of controlling influence by others whether this be force, fraud, deceit or overreaching
VOLUNTARINESS
: “one ought not to inflict evil or harm/the duty to do no harm”
NON-MALEFICENCE
: means “doing good” (duty to do good or to promote the good”
Nurses are obligated “to do good”, is implement actions that benefit clients and their support persons
“When one cannot promote good,
One ought to prevent harm or remove harm”
BENEFICIENCE
that each individual regardless of his state of health valuable, is not to be used as means and is to be treated with dignity
SANCTITY OF LIFE
Human life is a gift from God – implies that man does not have dominion on his life, he is just but a guardian/a steward
Being alive is only a bilogic function and not man’s ultimate goal
The purpose of professional care is the patient’s benefit – means aiding a person to realize qualoties not solely to prolong life does not exit (even to continue treatment
PURPOSE OF LIFE
is equated with man’s ability to achieve his purpose as well as his capacity to be “in control”. When man cannot/unable to achieve his purpose or control decisions regarding himself, quality is reduce
QUALITY OF LIFE
The health professional should consider stopping measures to prolong life
Man has the right to peacefully die with human dignity
The rule of justice are established to strike a balance between conflicting claims and interests
Example: Resources allocation in health care setting reffered to as “distributive justice”
“To each accordign to his desert” which means giving each his due
JUSTICE : (“fairness”)
MEAns to befaithful to agreements and responsibilities one has undertaken. The nurses have responsibility to the employer, government, society, and to themselves. Circumstances often affect which responsibility takes precedence at a particular time
FIDELITY (“keeping promises”)
moral science that treat of the obligations his profession and his clients
values, rights, duties and responsibilities
Professional Ethics
promotes the consideration of values in the prioritization and justification of actions by health professionals, researchers and policymakers that may impact the health and well-being of patients, families, and communities.
Health ethics
the study of living organisms, divided into many specialized fields that cover their morphology, physiology, anatomy, behavior, origin, and distribution.
biology
a commonly used ethical approach in healthcare and biomedical sciences. It emphasises four key ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice, which are shared by most ethical theories, and blends these with virtues and practical wisdom.
Principlism
What are the four principlism
Respect for autonomy
non maleficence
beneficence
Justice
Answers the question, “what should I do?”
Most ethical theories
“What type of person should I be?”
Virtue Ethics
core values of nursing
human dignity, integrity, autonomy, altruism, and social justice
