Professional Decision Making

Question 1

Four principles of healthcare ethics

Answer 1

Respect for autonomy- respecting he individual and their ability to make informed decisions
Beneficence- doing good
Non-maleficence- avoiding harm
Justice- fairness, treating those who are equal the same

Question 2

Stages of professional decision making

Answer 2

Gather the facts
Consider values
Generate options
Choose an option and be prepared to justify your choice
Document
Reflect

Question 3

Gathering the facts

Answer 3

What laws apply?- criminal law, civil law, administrative law
Ethics- standards of conduct, ethics and performance (GPhC), ethical principles
Others- medicines knowledge, patient details, reference sources, guidelines etc.

Question 4

Administrative Law

Answer 4

Pharmacy contract (England and Wales)- essential, advanced, enhanced
Drug Tariff- blacklist, dental formulary, appliances etc.

Question 5

Consider values and interests

Answer 5

Whose interests are you considering?
Individual patient/ member of public, you, the profession, relatives, your colleagues, other health professionals, other members of the public, employer, societal e.g. NHS resources

Question 6

Generate options

Answer 6

What could you do? Generate a range of options
Consider the possible consequences of each option, how likely are these consequences?
Think about four principles

Question 7

Choose an option and be prepared to justify your choice

Answer 7

Choose your preferred option
Can you justify your preferred option to self/others as the best option?
Who do you inform? When? How?

Question 8

Document/ reflect

Answer 8

Document/inform others, if appropriate (copy in pharmacy and if locum take a copy with you)
Afterwards reflect, what would you do the same/differently in same circumstances if this happened again?