Moral Agency Flashcards
What is the definition of meta-ethics?
Focuses on an analysis of meaning, justification, and inferences of moral terms, concepts and statements.
What is the definition of normative ethics?
Focuses on the formulation and defense of basic principles, values, virtues and ideas governing oral behaviour.
What is the definition of applied ethics?
Focuses on factual descriptions of moral behaviour and belief systems or beliefs, this is the practical component of ethics - or the “aim” of ethics
What are the five steps of the McDonald framework?
- Collect information and ID problem.
- Specify reasonable alternatives.
- ID ethical resources.
- Propose and test possible resolutions.
- Make your choice.
What are the three moral dimensions of nursing practice?
Personal beliefs
Professional code of ethics
Bioethical principles in health care
What is moral agency?
The capacity or power of a nurse to direct his/her motives and actions to some ethical end; essentially, doing what is good and right.
What is the moral dimension?
Nurse’s notion of what is good or right is not a matter of individual ethic, but is embedded within the discipline of nursing, as well as within the norms for the particular area in which he or she practices.
It is the background to the nurse’s practice and sets up what the nurse notices and attends to in particular situation.
What are some characteristics related to an absence moral deliberation?
Moral violation
Moral distress
Moral residue
What is moral violation?
Neglecting fundamental nursing obligation in a situation where the nurse knows (or should know) that the action or lack of action is not appropriate.
What is moral distress?
The guilt, concern, frustration and distress experienced when nurses cannot fulfill their ethical obligation or commitments, or they fail to pursue what they believe to be the right course of action or failure to live up to their expectation of ethical practice for one or more reasons.
What are the three reasons that a nurse may expereicne moral distress?
Error in judgement
Insufficient personal resolve
Other circumstances beyond their control.
What is moral residue?
The unresolved distress that one carries as a result of situations in which one has compromised oneself, or has allowed compromise to occur. Unrelieved moral distress over a period of time can erode the nurse’s values and affect confidence and self-esteem. The sense of powerlessness that may prevail can result in the nurse’s loss of capacity to care.
What are some features of the moral horizon?
- Relief of suffering
- Preservation of human dignity
- Fostering of choice
- Physical and psychological safety
- Prevention and minimization of harm
- Patient and family well-being
What are the effects of reaching the moral horizon?
Patient feeling that the nurse cares.
Family better able to cope.
Team coming together.
Nurse(s) feel(s) respected, can let go, sense of satisfaction and fulfillment
What are the effects of not reaching the moral horizon?
Patient feels dehumanized, unnecessary suffering, “punished” for being ill.
Family let down.
Nurse(s) feel(s) powerless or unsafe.
