Medical Ethics Flashcards

Emily

1
Q

Importance of ethical reasoning (3 levels)

A
  • Individual (e.g. time w patient)
  • Community/national (e.g. resource allocation)
  • International (e.g. global health, crossing boundaries)
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2
Q

The role of the GMC

A
  • Protect patients
  • Improve UK medical education
  • Manage the medical register
  • Maintain standards for doctors
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3
Q

4 domains of the Duties of a Doctor

A
  1. Knowledge, skills and performance
  2. Safety and quality
  3. Communication, partnership and trust
  4. Maintaining trust
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4
Q

Doctor’s first concern

A

Care of patient

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5
Q

Consequentialism

A

A right action promotes the best circumstances

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6
Q

Consequentialism shortcomings

A
  • Actions that lead to the best circumstances might seem wrong
  • Some individuals might be treated unjustly
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7
Q

Deontology

A

A right action is in accord w a moral rule/principle

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8
Q

Deontology shortcomings

A
  • Consequences matter

- How do we decide on duties and their hierarchy?

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9
Q

Virtue Ethics

A

A right action is what a virtuous agent would do

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10
Q

Virtue Ethics shortcomings

A
  • How do you decide virtues?

- May be culturally specific

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11
Q

3 other ethical theories

A
  • Feminist ethics
  • Narrative ethics
  • Rights theory
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12
Q

Respect for autonomy

A

Respecting that a competent informed adult can make their own decisions
- Confidentiality, informed consent

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13
Q

Beneficence

A

The obligation to act in a way to benefit the patient

- e.g. blood transfusions

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14
Q

Non-maleficence

A

Don’t act in a way to cause harm to your patient

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15
Q

Justice

A

Fairness –> both in time and treatments

Equivalent needs get equivalent access to appropriate care

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16
Q

Distributive justice

A

Must try to distribute limited resources fairly

17
Q

Doctrine of Double Effect

A

It is permissible to cause harm through a beneficial effect

18
Q

Doctrine of double effect 4 Criteria?

A

1) action must be good, independent of circumstances
2) the agent must only intend the good effect
3) the bad effect must not be a means to the good effect
4) the good effect must compensate for the bad effect

19
Q

Example of the Doctrine of double effect?

A

Giving pain medication to ease suffering, even though it may accelerate patient’s death