Practical Ethics Flashcards
What is medical ethics
Deals with ethical issues in healthcare settings
Helps healthcare professionals make reasoned decision about why they should act in a particular way
What are the 3 levels of formal medical ethics
Laws
Guidelines and recommendations
Your ability to reason critically and morally
What are the 5 main ethical theories
Deontology Consequentialism/ Utilitarianism Communitarianism/ Community ethics Virtue ethics Religious theries
What is deontolgy
A patients right to refuse any treatment
What is consequentialism / utilitarianism
Whether an action is right or wrong depends upon consequences
Act always to maximise the greatest happiness of the greatest number of people
What is comminitarianism/ comminity ethics
Is the act good for everyone that will be affected by the act
Holds that current ethics is far too individualistic
e.g. notifiable diseases and vaccination programmes
What does Beauchamp and Childress relate to
Principles of Biomedical ethics
What is respect for autonomy
respect for person’s free will and capacity for independent decision-making
What is beneficence
Balance of benefits of treatment against risks and costs - acting for the good of others
What is non-maleficence
Avoid causing harm
What is justice
Fair distribution of benefits, risks and costs, fair resource allocation, social justice
