Ethics

1. Ethics Objectives: Differentiate between ethical and legal issues impacting health care. Recognize ethical issues and their implications related to health care. Define procedures for reporting activities and behaviors that affect health, safety, and the welfare of others.

2. Ethics • Ethics=set of principles relating to what is morally right or wrong • Ethics provide a standard of conduct or code of behavior

3. Ethics Hippocrates: • Greek physician • Lived 2500 years ago • Recognized the importance of ethics • Wrote Hippocratic Oath

4. Ethical Principles • Preserve life • Do good • Respect autonomy • Uphold justice • Be honest • Be discreet • Keep promises • Do no harm 8 ethical principles for healthcare workers:

5. Ethical vs Legal Issues • Laws are based on ethical principles and most laws enforce ethical standards • Confidentiality is an example of a legal standard that is also an ethical standard • It would be illegal and unethical to give out private patient information without consent • Sometimes laws are in conflict with a person’s ethical principles • For example, a healthcare worker who is a vegan might be opposed to feeding a patient who is eating meat

6. Ethical Dilemmas Modern health care advances have created many ethical dilemmas for health care providers: • Should a person have the right to euthanasia (assisted death) if they are terminally ill & in excruciating pain? • Should a patient be told if a health care provider has AIDS? • When should life support be discontinued? • Can a hospital refuse to provide expensive treatment such as a bone marrow transplant if a patient can not pay? • Should aborted embryos be used to obtain stem cells for research to cure diseases?

7. Ethics Committee • Most hospitals have ethics committees that examine ethical issues related to patient care. • They can advise patients, families and healthcare providers. • A hospital ethics committee might decide the best action to take for a terminally ill patient on a respirator. • An ethics committee might also be asked to pass judgment on the actions of a healthcare provider.

8. Code of Ethics • Professional codes of ethics set standards of professional conduct that promote the welfare of patients and assure high quality care • Most professional associations write codes of ethics based on the 8 ethical principles.

9. Example of Code of Ethics American Nurses Association Code of Ethics states: • The nurse practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person. • The nurse’s primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group, community, or population • The nurse promotes, advocates for, and protects the rights, health, and safety of the patient

10. Code of Ethics Although such codes differ slightly from profession to profession, most professional code of ethics contain the following basic principles: (Can you match these with the 8 ethical principles for healthcare workers?) • Put the saving of life and the promotion of health above all else • Make every effort to keep the pt comfortable & preserve life when possible • Respect the pt’s choice to die peacefully & with dignity • Treat all pts equally

11. Code of Ethics continued • Provide care for all individuals to the best of your ability • Maintain a competent level of skill for your health care career • Stay informed & up to date, & pursue continuing education • Maintain confidentiality • Refrain from immoral, unethical, & illegal practices. If you observe others doing any of these, report them • Show loyalty to pts, coworkers, & employers • Be sincere, honest, & caring

12. Incident Reports/Electronic Occurrence Reports • To ensure prompt reporting & documentation of all incidents resulting in injury or having potential adverse affects to patients, employees, or visitors. • To accurately document threats or actions of violence and environmental emergencies. • To accurately document incidents of property damage. • Focus on the facts. • The purpose of the incident report is for legal record keeping – NOT punishment