Model for Ethical Problem Solving

Question 1

Five step model to decision making

Answer 1

Respond to “sense” or feeling something is wrong
Gather information/make an assessment
ID the ethical problem/consider a moral diagnosis
Seek a resolution
Work with others to determine course of action

Question 2

Responding to sense something is wrong

Answer 2

Situations with stress and emotional may not = an ethical problem
Signs: Heightened emotional sensitivity along with stress, tension and ineffective communication (silence, avoidance, nagging feeling)

Question 3

Gather information/make assessment

Answer 3

Good ethics begins with good facts

Question 4

Define Clinical facts

Answer 4

Deals with relevant clinical data in a case

Question 5

Define Situational facts

Answer 5

Data regarding values and perspectives of the principals involved

Question 6

ID the ethical problem/consider a moral diagnosis

Answer 6

Ethical principles provide guidance and may help identify types of ethical problems in a case
Values, rights, duties, or principles that are in conflict should be ID

Question 7

Ethical principles most often involve in complex cases:

Answer 7

Patient and health professional autonomy
Beneficence and non- maleficence
Justice

Question 8

Seek a resolution:

Answer 8

Working phase of decision making is proposing more than one course of action

Question 9

Need to consider options that are morally justifiable:

Answer 9

Possible consequences of each action as well as whether there are moral duties independent of consequence
Involves application of ethical principles

Question 10

Work with others to determine a course of action:

Answer 10

No one makes decisions in vacuum

Better decisions reached if people legitimately involved have opportunity to discuss

Question 11

Group decisions are more

Answer 11

comprehensive and ethically justifiable