Ethics

Inpatient review classAugust 2011

Moral Principles Guiding Nursing Practice Autonomy

Based on the doctrine of informed consent The right of people to be left alone and to define

their own destiny without interference— “self-determination”

Free Choice and personal decisions

Principal-Based Ethics An approach to ethics that identifies/defines

fundamental principles to guide behavior and decision-making

Duty and obligation Duty to follow the universally accepted rules

of what is right/wrong

Principal Based Ethics Beneficence--GOOD

Practitioner should act in the best interest of the patient An obligation to accomplish good in service to others

through acts such as mercy, kindness and generosity

Non-maleficence “First, do no harm” to others

(From the Hippocratic Oath) The duty to avoid the causing, permitting , or imposing

harm, or the risk of harm to another person

Principal Based Ethics Justice

Rule derived from Aristotle The obligation to Rx individuals equally or

comparably Veracity

Obligation to tell the truth

and to give complete information to patients for decision-making

Fidelity Obligation to keep promises/commitments/to

remain loyal

Principal Based Ethics

Privacy (HIPAA) Right of an individual/group to decide when and

to what extent information about themselves can be revealed to others

Confidentiality An extension of privacy—the right to limit the

access of others to private information revealed by pt to his/her provider

Respect Reverence for persons and human dignity

Informed Consent—The Right to Accept OR to Refuse Rx

Usually includes: Health care professional’s

recommendations for Rx Truthful, honest disclosure of information such as medical

condition, nature and purpose of procedure, consequences, risks, benefits, name/s of person/s performing the Rx

Patient’s understanding of information Voluntary consent/refusal without coercion Documentation of process

LEGAL vs. ETHICALLegal—fulfills terms of law

Ethical—fulfills terms of ethics and is higher than the law

Actions can be: Ethical AND Legal Ethical but Illegal Unethical and Legal Unethical and Illegal

Courts do NOT decide questions of ethics—Courts decide questions of law

Ethical Codes Religious codes Professional Organization Codes

International Council of

Nurses Code of Nurses (1973) American Medical Association

Code of Ethics (2001) American Nurses Association Code for Nurses (2001)

“The Code of Ethics for Nurses was developed as a guide for carrying out nursing responsibilities in a manner consistent with quality in nursing care and the ethical obligations of the profession.”