Health Care Service Ethics

What is the definition of morality? What is the definition for ethics? What are the differences among the

relationship of personal, group and societal moralities?

How does the health professional integrate the differences into their own moral life?

Compare the basic function of law and ethics in professional practice.

Morality and Ethics

List three ways ethics is useful in the professionals everyday work practice.

In professional practice compare the basic functions of law and ethics.

List several laws and policies that protect personal moral convictions while upholding ethical standards.

Morality and Ethics Continued

Morality- being in accord with standards of right or good conduct. This is instilled from early childhood by parents Morality is also relational. Relationships with others are an important factor as are how we build and cultivate relationships with others to create a safe environment that will produce peace and harmony. The goal of morality is to protect a high quality of life for an individual and community as a whole.

Morality

What is needed in Morality? It is not only about the individual but the

community. To protect high quality of life and care. It is about things that should be done or not

done according to how they affect people. Moral judgment as an advocate.

Morality

Definition-morals, and social values of a person, group or society. These are things that uphold our ideas of what is needed for moral conduct and to live full lives and enable them to basic interests.

Traits of character as well help to define morality such as compassion, which in tern deems him/her praiseworthy.

Moral expectations can differ by culture as well so it is important to remember to research other cultures as well as communicate or seek someone to help as a professional with interpretation.

Values

Moral duty is the action of response. Moral character is defined as mental and

moral qualities. Moral Character WordIQ.com.http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Moral_character

Moral Duty and Moral Character

Personal morality- values, duties, action, and character traits. It is “who you are” as a unique individual. This is acquired through self-understanding or self-awareness which will allow you as a health professional or any professional to take on responsibilities and the role of being a professional. Self-understanding will allow the health care professional to step-out and understand the patient, colleagues and the community.

Three Subgroups of Morality

Integrity is embedded within the values that make up personal morality. As a professional when you act in accordance with values you preserve your integrity. The term integrity comes from the Latin word integretas, meaning sound, whole, undivided, unimpaired condition.

Maintain a unified purpose, direction and course of action

Ethical integrity is the awareness of doing the right thing morally.

Personal Morality and Integrity

Societal morals contain values and ideas of duty that are religious, philosophic, and anthropologic in beliefs.

These may be coded in laws customs and policies.

Two debates now taking place in society are abortion and assisted suicide.

Societal Morality

Embraces- moral duties, values and character traits that do not apply to all others in society.

Professional Code of Ethics- example NASW-handout

Hippocractic Oath- Pg. 12 HIPPA- handout

Health Professions Morality

Mr. Smith was admitted due to a hip replacement and has just been given his pain medication. Mr. Smith’s family has come in to visit him from Mexico and does not speak fluent English, the family insists that Mr. Smith is in pain. The family is requesting that Mr. Smith be given more pain medication. Mr. Smith is only allowed his medication every four hours.

Please discuss in groups of three what can be done to resolve this matter. What are the moral implications and what can be done to help the patient? You will have fifteen minutes to discuss this moral dilemma and then we will discuss questions and answers.

Assignment 1

Purtillo, R.B., Doherty, R. F. (2011). Ethical dimensions in the health professions (5th ed.) Elsevier Saunders. ISBN 978-1-4377-0896-7

NASW. Code of Ethics. (2014). http//www.socialworkers.org/pub/code/code.asp.

CMS.gov. The HIPPA Law and Related Information. (2014). http://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/HIPAA-Administrative-Simplification/HIPAAGenInfo/Downloads/HIPAALaw.pdf

WordIQ.com. http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Moral_character

References