Professional Ethics and Ethical Decision Making Flashcards
What is Step 1 of Ethical decision making?
Develop ethical sensitivity
- Identify who (individuals and groups) are potentially affected by your decision
What is Step 2 of Ethical decision making?
Identify relevant articles from the code of ethics
- Codes from related professions can also offer guidance
What are the limitations of Codes of Ethics?
Application to any one setting/situation is limited
- Members of a professional organization work with diverse populations and a variety of activities
Professions change rapidly
- Sometimes codes reflect what can be agreed upon, rather than an ethical ideal
Sometimes focus too much on minor issues
- At expense of “big” questions for a profession
Not “cookbooks” for responsible behavior
- Codes must be interpreted and applied
What is Step 3 of Ethical decision making?
Look to the ethics literature for guidance
- Ethics texts and journal articles
- These sources might not be directly relevant, but can offer important guidance
What is Step 4 of Ethical decision making?
Consideration of own personal bias, stress, and self-interest.
What is Step 5 of Ethical decision making?
Apply fundamental ethical principles and theories to the situation
- Autonomy
- Nonmaleficence
- Beneficence
- Justice
- Fidelity
- Veracity
What is Step 6 of Ethical decision making?
Develop alternative courses of action
- Evaluate the costs/benefits of each action
What is Step 7 of Ethical decision making?
Consult with trusted colleagues.
What is Step 8 of Ethical decision making?
Action, with a commitment to assume responsibility
- Inform appropriate people and implement the decision
What is Step 9 of Ethical decision making?
Evaluate the results of your actions.
What are some functions of the professional code of ethics?
- Set standards for professional work
- Safeguard interests of client
- Internal control mechanism
- Guidance
- Protect professionals from outside intervention and supervision
- Preserve public trust in professionals
- Ensure status of profession and legitimacy of remuneration
- Protect rights of professionals against unfounded complaints
A situation that requires ethical action, but the professional is required to perform
— – — ——– ———- ———-.
two or more mutually exclusive actions
- Can be an “ethical residue” following an action
- There might be no satisfactory conclusion, yet the choice not to act is itself an ethical decision
What is Autonomy?
Freedom to make one’s own choices and take actions based on one’s own personal values and beliefs
What is nonmaleficence?
Obligation not to inflict harm upon others
What is Beneficence?
Obligation to act for the benefit of others
