Ethics, Professional Resilience and the Law Flashcards
Define ethics
Branch of physiology considering question ‘what should i do’
What does ethics assume?
There is a right or wrong answer
Define an ethical dilema
Torn between multiple actions which equally appear right or wrong
What causes ethical dilemas?
Different values and opinions
What is the purpose of an ethical framework?
Maintain trust
Prevent stress or burn out
Make good ethical decisions
List the 3 main ethical frameworks
Utilitarianism
Deontology
Virtue theory
Describe the utilitarianism ethical theory
Weighing up cost and benefits of different actions and consequences
Usually thought of as lesser of 2 evils
What are some of the issues of the utilitarianism ethical thoery?
Many issues hard to compare or hard to agree on what the benefits and harms are
Describe the deontology ethical theory
Moral choice based on rules regardless of consequences, applied the same in all similar situations
Usually allows rooms for individuals rights
What are the problems with the deontology ethical theory?
Too rigid to be practical in some situations and may not cause the greatest good
Rules can conflict so need to make some judgements
What are some problems with the virtue ethical theory?
Hard to know what a good person is
Focus is put on the person being good so may not choose actually the best choice
Describe the virtue ethical theory
A good character comes before intelligence so a good person will do the right thing and make good ethical decision
Why are ethical frameworks useful?
Encourage reflection
Common framework allows discussion and justification of choices
Help choose best answer
What cant ethical frameworks do?
Give an exact answer of what to do
What are the steps of the ethical framework when answering ethical questions?
Define all available options
Identify stakeholders who could be affected by the choice
Apply an ethical theory
Identify advantages and disadvantages for each option and stakeholder
Consider the welfare of stakeholders
Minimise any negative impacts
What are the stakeholders that need to be considered in vets practices when making ethical choices?
Animal
Owner
Vet
What are the considerations that need to be made for animals when making ethical decisions?
Wellbeing- welfare
Autonomy- behavioural freedom
Fairness- respected as having intrinsic value not just instrumental value
What are the considerations that need to be made for the owner when making ethical choices?
Wellbeing- pleasure from animal, guilt, physical fitness
Autonomy- freedom to decide for own animal based on informed of all options
Fairness- having access to the same treatment all are
What are the considerations that need to be made for the vet when making ethical choices?
Wellbeing- profit, sense of doing harm or good
Autonomy- freedom to choose based on clinical judgement, all options available
Fairness- treated the same as all vets
Define professional resiliance
Being able to cope with obstacles appropriately
What are causes of poor mental health?
Gene expression
Environment- living, working and relationships
Experiences
What are the two different brains responsible for?
Rational- intellectual, knows what to do
Primal- emotional, dampens down rational brain
Define mental wellbeing
Physiological state at a point in time, constantly changes up and down
What percentages determines mental wellbeing?
40%- actions
10%- circumstances
50%- genetically determined