Test 1 Flashcards
the claim that there are no objective moral principles
Relativism
what’s wrong with relativism?
wrong because - any behavior could be justified as morally right
right and wrong questions could be answered with opinion
Morality is based on the outcomes
Utilitarianism is a type of it
Consequentialism
Morality is based on duties/obligations/principals
Deontology
difference between consequentialism and deontology
deontology is based on duties/obligations rather than consequences
How you become a better person - wisdom, courage, compassion
Virtue Ethics
Suggests that moral emotions such as care and empathy should be included in considerations about right actions
Ethics of Care
How is Ethics of Care applied?
applied by acknowledging emotions and allowing them to play a role in ethical decision making
Distinction: motivation for action versus justification for action feelings often conflict
Follow your feeling
Distinction: motivation for action versus justification for action feelings often conflict.
Conscience
Follow your feeling
Connection between law and morality. Law is based on ethics, but not always right.
Obeying the Law
trying to come up with a way of right and wrong with starting with human nature. What is human nature and what are the positive aspects of human nature?
Natural Law Theory
Distinction between origin of beliefs vs justification of beliefs
Following your religious beliefs
Not the way nature intended
-appeals to what is ‘natural’ are often used ambiguously and arbitrarily
Avoiding the unnatural
Codes of ethics come from committees of people that gather to make a consensus about ethics
Codes of ethics are an important guide but blindly following a code of ethic will not justify your actions
Follow your professional code of ethics
People get in a habit of not doing whats right
- just because everyone does it doesn’t justify it
- personal responsibility requires you to critically evaluate normal practices to ensure that they are morally justified
Doing what everyone else is doing
Idea of people controlling their own lives or making their own decisions.
Comes out of human dignity - individuals have a right to make their own choices
Autonomy
Truth telling: A virtue that refers to integrity, which is achieved by the embodiment of loyalty, fairness, truthfulness, advocacy, and dedication that is motivated by an underlying principle of care.
Fidelity
Truth telling: being honest
Veracity
Shouldn’t share other people information, not ethical. Responsibility as a health care provider.
Cannot talk to any other health care provider if they are not related with the case unless there is permission by the patient
Confidentiality
Individuals right to control their own information
Privacy
helps others, bring about good, benefit people
This is a duty to act/intervene/help
The basic principle of health care, to help them function and improve their health
Beneficence
duty to avoid harm
ex. CPR example - could do more harm than good if the patient has fragile bones)
ex. stopping medication that is harmful
Nonmaleficence
In Health care, this is often understood in terms of fair distribution (doing the right thing)
Fair doesn’t necessarily mean equal…
Justice
People in positions of authority restricting the freedom and responsibilities of those who are lesser then them.
Paternalism
How does paternalism relate to health care
Doctors know best.
Practiced years ago because clinicians would make decisions for patient
Patient chooses to partake in it by saying they want it or in an advance directive and life sustaining treatment is withdrawn to let them die “naturally”
The patient explicitly chooses it.
Voluntary passive euthanasia
Not directly from the patient. the patient cannot say what they want.
Someone else makes the choice on the patient’s behalf to withdraw life sustaining treatment and let underlying disease take its course.
Non-voluntary passive euthanasia
Patient requests to have another person actively take their life
Another person does something to end the patient’s life
Illegal
Voluntary Active Euthanasia
Someone else making the choice on the patient’s behalf to actively kill them
Illegal
Non-voluntary Active Euthanasia
Doctor provide a prescription - patient has to take a medication and administer it themselves. already terminally ill
Physician aid in dying
Evaluating a choice based on your reason for doing something.
If you give too much pain meds with the intent to end suffering, it’s seen as moral. But if you give too much pain meds with the intent to kill, it’s seen as immoral
Principle of Double Effect
Generally inform others of your choices in various health care situations. Telling them your wishes/what you want ahead of time.
Advanced Directive
DNR
Do Not Resuscitate
DNI
Do Not Intubate
Instructions regarding medical care for the principal in certain specific situations
Applies only while the principal is still living
Living Will
Way of expressing ahead of time what you would want under certain circumstances
A written statement that describes the type of care desired when the principal (a.k.a. “declarant”) is suffering from a terminal illness or is in a persistent vegetative state
Living Will
Instructions regarding what happens to the principal’s estate, minor children, etc.
Applies after the principal’s death
Last Will and Testament
Name of the person receiving the power;
Explanation of powers, duties, and responsibilities that are being given that person;
Designation of how long the person will have that authority;
Notarized signature of the person giving the power
Power of Attorney
lasts beyond the disability or incapacity of the principal, however is still terminated with the death of the principal.
Durable power of attorney
Must be a durable power of attorney. These go into effect when the principal is no longer capable of making her or his own health care decisions.
Durable power of attorney for health care
Required to make decisions according to the principal’s will and must make decisions consistent with the lifestyle of the person & must understand the principal’s values and wishes and be willing to act on them.
Attorney in fact
POLST
Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment
This approach emphasizes communication and shared decision-making between physician and patient & only applies when the patient has a serious illness.
POLST
Ethical considerations that underlie the focus on informed consent in healthcare
It is based on autonomy, the patients have the final say
Informed - acknowledges and respects the human capacity to reason
Consent - acknowledges and respects the human capacity for free will
What led to the shift in healthcare from a focus on beneficent paternalism to a focus on individual rights?
Focus on individual rights shifted peoples thoughts. Advances in technology brought up questions, cultural shift between individualism and individual rights in health care, self-determination act, acknowledging that right gave people a lot more power
What is the role of shared decision-making in informed consent?
Shared decision making is when both physicians and patients make active and essential contributions.
What are the contributions of each party in shared medical decision-making?
Physicians bring their medical training, knowledge, and expertise- including an understanding of the available treatment alternatives-to the diagnosis and management of patients’ conditions. Patients bring a knowledge of their own subjective aims and values, through which the risks and benefits of various treatment options can be evaluated.
Difference between decision making and competence
Competence is a legal finding that is determined by court
Decision making is ability of the person to make choices
Difference between decision making and competence
Competence is a legal finding that is determined by court
Ethical principles support the push for advance directives
Autonomy- give people the ability to make their own decisions about their life up until the end.
the patient is fully entitled, but not required to take and active role in decision making regarding treatment with understanding sufficient information to make a settled choice. person considers effects on others
principled autonomy
right to act on one’s own judgment about matters affecting one’s life, without interference by others
Individualistic autonomy
