Flashcards in lect 5 b Deck (13)
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1
Moral & Ethical Concerns
A situation that has potentially undesirable
outcomes for a patient that requires application
of ethical principles.
1. The promotion & protection of people’s
genuine wellbeing & welfare (including
their interests in not suffering
unnecessarily)
2. Responding justly to the genuine needs &
significant interests of different people
3. Determining & justifying what constitutes
right & wrong conduct in a given situatio
2
ICN Code of Ethics
- 4 principal elements
1. Nurses and people
2. Nurses and practice
3. Nurses and the profession
4. Nurses and co-workers
3
1. Nurses and people
The nurse’s primary responsibility is to the person
requiring care
4
2. Nurses and practice
Nurse assumes responsibility and accountability for
their own practice
5
3. Nurses and the profession
Actively engage with and contribute to the profession
6
4. Nurses and co-workers
Sustains a collaborative and respectful relationship
with co-worker
7
These 5 ethical principles in the Code of Ethics allow moral
decisions in healthcare to be judged as appropriate or
not. Remember your first year ethics lectures:
Justice
Autonomy
Non-maleficence
Beneficence
Veracity
8
JUSTICE
Based on the concept of fairness
Fair allocation of health resources
Considers the point of view of the least
fortunate members of society
All people should be treated equally
unless there is justification for unequal
treatment
9
Autonomy
The principal of autonomy = respect for the self
determination (or the choice) of the individual
The principal of autonomy applies even if we
disagree with the individual’s choice or the
choice they make is not in their best interests
The principle of autonomy does not apply if the
person is not competent to decide for themselves
The principal of autonomy does not apply if the
individual’s choice impacts the moral interests of
others
10
Non-maleficence
The duty to “do no harm”
▪ Physical
▪ Psychological
▪ Spiritual
▪ Social
Non-maleficence includes avoiding actual harm and
avoiding the risk of harm
Ask, “Will this treatment cause more harm than
good?”
11
Beneficence
The obligation to act for the benefit of others
To promote welfare and well being, and
prevent harm
▪ Providing benefits
▪ Balancing benefits and harm
Sometimes beneficence (or prevention of
harm) overrides autonomy or the person’s
ability to choose
▪ This is called paternalism
12
VERACITY
Truthfulness
Neither lying or deceiving
▪ Intentional lying
▪ Non-disclosure
▪ Partial disclosure
It can be difficult to decide how much truth
to tell
13
