Final: Ethics and values Flashcards
Morals
Individual judgement about behaviors based on specific beliefs
Ethics
The study of and creation of rules of conduct and character
“What should I do”
–Codes of conduct
–Morals in action
Autonomy
Include patients in decisions
Beneficence
Positive actions to help others
Nonmaleficence
Avoidance of harm or hurt
Justice
Being fair
Fidelity
Agreement to keep promises
Bioethics
Branch of ethics within healthcare
Professional nursing code of ethics
Set of guiding principles the all members of a profession accept
–Advocacy, responsibility, accountability, confidentiality
Ethical dilemma
When two opposing courses of action can both be justified by ethical principles
Moral distress
Instead of competing options for action, the nurse feels the need to take a specific action while believing that action is to be wrong
Value
A deeply held belief about the worth of an idea, attitude, custom, or object that affects choices and behaviors
Values clarification
Ethical dilemmas almost always occur in the presence of conflicting values
– To resolve ethical dilemmas, one needs to distinguish among values, facts, and opinion
To resolve ethical dilemmas, one needs
to distinguish among values, facts, and opinion
— some people have such strong values that they consider to be facts not opinions
MOral distress
Anguish experiences when a person feels unable to act according to closely held core values
