ETHICS OF HEALTH CAREINTRODUCTION

Brenda Holmes MSN/Ed, RN

GOAL

At the end of this introductory material, the student should understand the need for the health professional to develop the science and professional conduct aspects of his or her craft.

KEY TERMS

Ethical dilemmas Ethical, legal, professional etiquette Legal requirements Professional ethics Value Ethical humility Ethical courage Ethical empathy Ethical fair-mindedness

INTRODUCTION

Health Care Practice: Best of science Noblest of human arts Offer careers that never stops growing, challenging, Provides opportunities for personal development

INTRODUCTION

Health Care can be: Rewarding Engaging Exciting Meaningful Frustrating Overwhelming

INTRODUCTION

Finally someone recognizes what you have done over the years.

CHANGES IN HEALTH CARE PRACTICE

Past history Physician, dentist, nurse and pharmacist well

established though evolving Patient had less chances of benefitting from an

encounter with a physician Physician often had little to offer other than a

caring attitude, sat by the bed and watched over while disease processes takes over

CHANGES IN HEALTH CARE PRACTICE

20th century Technology and therapeutic advances over 100

specialist were added to the health care team Physical therapist Dieticians

Growth: Direct patient care provided to over 80% of health care

professional

HEALTH CARE PRACTICE

Not only technical competence but also must have legal, ethical, and professional etiquette requirements Legal requirement: need to follow a set of

principles and processes by which the people within a society settle disputes and problems without resorting to violence or force

Professional Ethics: rules that require health care professional to stay within the law in professional conduct Based on traditions of good practice and good

manners Involves issues such as avoid talking badly about

another practitioner especially to patients; need to stay within the role of boundaries of our speciality

HEALTH CARE PRACTICE

Health care ethics Designed to promote order and maintain civility Deals with the rights and welfare of people Failure to follow ethics can result in serious

sanctions Characteristic of those that do not follow

ethics Boorish and rude

HEALTH CARE PRACTICE

Note below the results of lapses in appropriate legal, ethical, or professional etiquette

Sanctions Associated with Lapse of Ethical, Legal, or Professional Etiquette

Area Judgement SanctionEthical Conduct Right or wrong Loss of professional reputation

Loss of professional consortiumPersonal remorse

Legal Requirements Legal or illegal Loss of professional reputationLoss of professional consortiumPunishment as prescribed by law

Professional Etiquette

Proper or improper

Loss of professional respect and fellowship

HEALTH CARE PRACTICE

Health care ethics Realm of human values Morals Individual culture Intense personal beliefs Faith

HEALTH CARE PRACTICE

Hedonistic For decision making based on:

Desire and aversion Nothing can be right or wrong apart from them Attitude of self absorption

HEALTH CARE PRACTICE

Involvement in unethical practice harms the patients we serve By association

Harms all fellow practitioners Lowers the level of trust and esteem in which

health are providers are held Harms the community at large

An analogy is that health care practice can be considered a community commons.

All practitioners in the community use the field and are responsible for the upkeep

HEALTH CARE PRACTICE

Obligations to provide ethical care is the obligations of many To maintain the space so that we can come again Leave the commons healthy so that others can replace

us in the labor Personal ethics

Responsible for our own and for our colleagues Take on the obligation to be peer to others of the

health care team Part of the decision-making processes

Self-regulating

ETHICAL DILEMMAWhat is your opinion of this doctor talking with his patient? Ethical or unethical

HEALTH CARE PRACTICE

“Health care ethical issues are challenging and as health care professionals we need to come to decisions that represent the best interest of our patients, colleagues, and community.”