Ethics in Healthcare: Principles Overview

Ethical Principles Overview

• Veracity emphasizes truth-telling and honesty as a fundamental duty in professional practice.
• Autonomy allows individuals to make their own choices without external influence, promoting self-determination.
• Autonomy/Freedom highlights the individual's ability to act independently, pursuing personal goals.

Privacy and Confidentiality

• Privacy/Confidentiality involves respecting individuals' personal boundaries and protecting privileged information.

Beneficence and Nonmaleficence

• Beneficence refers to the obligation to act for the benefit of others, aiming to do good.
• Nonmaleficence focuses on the responsibility to avoid harm, prioritizing clients' best interests.

Fidelity

• Fidelity is the principle of honoring promises and duties, creating trust between providers and clients.

Justice

• Justice pertains to fairness, equity, and equality in allocating resources and opportunities, ensuring individuals receive what they are entitled to.
• Comparative Justice involves making decisions based on specific criteria, often assessing needs or circumstances, such as in organ transplantation.
• Noncomparative Justice may utilize random methods, like lotteries, for resource distribution when equity principles apply.

Respect for the Individual

• Emphasizing understanding and respect for diverse perspectives is crucial in maintaining effective communication in healthcare.
• In a pluralistic society, both understanding each other and accepting disagreements are important for harmonious interactions.