Unit 8 - Ethics

Question 1

Definition of ethics

Answer 1

Ethics is the study or examination of morality through a variety of different approaches.

Question 2

The scope of ethics

Answer 2

Societal ethics
Organizational ethics
Bioethics/clinical ethics/research ethics
Professional ethics
Personal ethics

Question 3

Define societal ethics

Answer 3

Ethics that serve the larger community. This includes laws, legal standards, and regulatory parameters.

Question 4

Define organizational ethics

Answer 4

Formal and informal principles and values that guide the behavior, decisions, and actions taken by members of an organization. Organizational ethics directs all aspects of an organization.
An example includes organizational policies and procedures.

Question 5

Define bio ethics

Answer 5

Bio ethics deals broadly with ethical questions surrounding the biological sciences, emerging healthcare technologies and health policy.

Question 6

Define clinical ethics

Answer 6

Clinical ethics includes decision making at the bedside and other patient specific issues

Question 7

Define research ethics

Answer 7

A specialized field within bio ethics that examines the ethical conduct of research using human subjects and animals.

Question 8

Define professional ethics

Answer 8

Ethical standards and expectations of a particular profession.

In relation to nursing:
“The relationship between the patient and the nurse is, first and foremost, and ethical one.”

Question 9

Define personal ethics

Answer 9

Personal ethics describes an individuals own ethical foundation and practice.

Our personal ethics do not perfectly overlap with other categories of ethics. So there’s much potential for conflict. In addition, the sources of our ethics change overtime just as we continue to change with time.

Question 10

What year was the first code of ethics for nurses adopted?

Answer 10

1950 by the American Nurses Association.

Question 11

True or false?
The most recent code of ethics for nurses is the “Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements” adopted by the ANA house of delegates in 2015.

Answer 11

True

Question 12

Compare an ethical problem with an ethical dilemma

Answer 12

And ethical problem is when there is a clear, ethically correct choice.
An ethical dilemma is when there are two or more ethically correct choices and they compete with each other.

Question 13

List the essential concepts of ethics in nursing.

Answer 13

Fidelity
Justice
Nonmaleficence
Responsibility
Veracity
Autonomy
Accountability
Advocacy
Beneficence
Confidentiality

Question 14

Define fidelity

Answer 14

The concept of keeping promises or agreements made with others.

Question 15

Define justice

Answer 15

The concept of acting fairly and equitably.

Question 16

Define nonmaleficence

Answer 16

The concept of avoiding harm.
DO NO HARM

Question 17

Define responsibility

Answer 17

The concept of being dependable and reliable.

Question 18

Define veracity

Answer 18

The concept of being truthful

Question 19

Define autonomy

Answer 19

The concept of making decisions supported by knowledge and self-confidence.

Question 20

Define accountability

Answer 20

The concept of being answerable for one’s actions.

Question 21

Define advocacy

Answer 21

The concept of supporting or promoting the interests of others or of a cause greater than ourselves.

Question 22

Define beneficence

Answer 22

The concept of “doing good”

Question 23

Define confidentiality

Answer 23

The concept of limiting the sharing of private patient information.

Question 24

Compare deontology and utilitarianism

Answer 24

Deontology, or duty based ethics, is an ethical theory that focuses only on the rightness or wrongness of individual behaviors, duties, and obligations without concern for the actual consequence of those actions.

Utilitarianism focuses solely on the consequences and maintains that behaviors are determined to be right or wrong based on their outcome. Unlike the rigidity of deontology, utilitarianism views actions as neither right nor wrong without knowing how they benefit the greater good or society.

Question 25

Define rights-based ethics

Answer 25

Rights based ethical theory focuses on the rights of the individual and does not always take into consideration the effects on society as a whole.
For example a child may need a life saving blood transfusion, but their religious beliefs of the parents prevents the child from receiving blood products.

Question 26

Define justice-based ethics

Answer 26

Justice based ethics emphasizes the ethical principle of justice, stating that no individual person should have any advantage over another. Dilemmas arise in situations in which access to healthcare is sometimes dependent on income and other socioeconomic characteristics.

Question 27

Define virtue-based ethics

Answer 27

Virtue based ethics focuses on personal traits of individuals rather than societal norms. Dilemmas can arise when not everyone has the same virtues; this can result in an organization or person taking advantage of another person.

Question 28

Define code of ethics

Answer 28

A code of ethics is a formal statement that defines the values, morals, and standards guiding practice in a specific discipline or profession.

Question 29

True or false?
Healthcare decisions that present an ethical dilemma are not made by individuals alone. The healthcare institutions compliance officer and compliance committee are charged with the responsibility of ensuring that ethical standards are met. Institutions have reporting mechanisms for unethical behaviors.

Answer 29

True

Question 30

What are the three virtues of health professionals?

Answer 30

Courage
Compassion
Commitment

Question 31

List three ethical issues in nursing

Answer 31

-Understaffing
-Prolonging the living and dying process with inappropriate measures.
-Providing care with risk to the health of the nurse.

Question 32

Responsibilities of a nurse educators

Answer 32

To advise and supervise their students, collaborate with students to identify individual learning needs within the clinical setting, and facilitate the educational process.

Question 33

Responsibilities of student nurses

Answer 33

To behave responsibly and respectfully toward all, be accountable for their actions, develop professionally, and strive to learn all that is necessary to care for patients and their families.

Question 34

Define civility - in regards to nursing school

Answer 34

Civility, or acting politely, is essential to all interactions among faculty and nursing students. Respectful interaction between students and faculty members establishes professional communication patterns and affects the way in which students interact with patients.

Question 35

List some reported outcomes of nurse educators and students who have been the victims of incivility.

Answer 35

Loss of sleep.
Increased stress and depression.
Feelings of powerlessness.
Decreased confidence.

Question 36

Exemplar: confidentiality

Answer 36

The safeguarding of patient information. Sharing patient information with only those that need to know.

Question 37

True or false? HIPAA stands for health identity problems and accountability act.

Answer 37

False.
HIPAA stands for health insurance portability and accountability act.

Question 38

True or false? HIPAA was originally passed in 1906?

Answer 38

False.
HIPAA was originally passed in 1996.

Question 39

Identify key provisions of HIPAA.

Answer 39

Privacy.
Security.
Enforcement.
Breach.

Question 40

What did Dr. V teach us about social media and confidentialities?

Answer 40

She said, “Don’t post things on social media! Please please please! It’s so not worth it.”

Question 41

Define privacy as a key provision of HIPAA

Answer 41

The HIPAA privacy rule establishes national standards to protect individuals medical records and other individually identifiable health information. Collectively defined as protected healthcare information. This applies to health plans, health care clearing houses, and those healthcare providers that conduct certain healthcare transactions electronically.

Question 42

Define security as a key provision for HIPAA

Answer 42

The HIPAA security rule establishes national standards to protect individuals electronic personal health information that is created, received, used, or maintained by a covered entity. The security rule requires appropriate administrative, physical and technical safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and security of electronic protected health information.

Question 43

Define enforcement as a key provision of HIPAA

Answer 43

The HIPAA enforcement rule contains provisions relating to compliance and investigations, the imposition of civil money penalties for violations of the Hyppa administrative simplification rules, and procedures for hearings.

Question 44

Define breaches a key provision of HIPAA

Answer 44

The HIPAA breach notification rule requires HIPAA covered entities in their business associates to provide notification following a breach of unsecured protected health information.