Medical Ethics and Law Flashcards
What is medical ethics?
Application of ethical reasoning to medical decision making
What are the three common moral theories
Consequentialism, Deontology
Virtue Ethics
For each of the common moral theories, finish this sentence “An action is right if, and only if…”
Consequentialism - It promotes the best consequence
Deantology - it is in accordant with a moral rule or principle
Virtue Ethics - it is what a virtuous agent would do in the circumstance
Describe some of the weaknesses of the three common moral theories?
Consequentialism - Difficult to know what the actual consequences may be. Pure consequentialism leads to situations that may seem wrong.
Deantology - Consequences of our actions do matter and how do you decide on moral rules?
Virtue Ethics - How do you decide on virtues and these may be culturally specific
What are the four pillars of ethics and what do they mean?
Respect for autonomy -Allows for competent informed adults to make their own decisions
Beneficence - Obligation to act in a way that benefits the patient
Non - maleficence - Above all, do no harm
Justice - Fairness with time and treatments (equivalent health care needs get equivalent access to appropriate care)
What is the Doctrine of Double Effect?
Where you foresee harm but do not intend harm, and the action you commit is good although can have unintended bad side effects
Give an example of a situation where a doctor mat use the doctorine of double effect to justify their actions
If you give a high dose of morphine to kill pain, your intentions are good but an unintended side effect may be death. While this death is a possibility, they did not intend on killing the patient.
