Understanding Ethics and Morals CH 22

Morals, Ethics, and Values

• Morals refer to judgments about behavior based on specific beliefs
• Ethics is the study of ideals of right and wrong behavior
• Values are deeply held personal beliefs about the worth of an idea, custom, or object
• Values reflect cultural and social influences

Autonomy

• Autonomy refers to freedom from external control
• In health care, autonomy refers to respect for patients' independence
• Respect for autonomy is a fundamental principle of ethical practice
• It is a key feature of patient-centered care
• Autonomy is demonstrated through the informed consent process and explaining nursing procedures to patients

Beneficence and Nonmaleficence

• Beneficence refers to taking positive actions to help others
• It implies that nurses practice primarily as a service to others
• Nonmaleficence refers to the avoidance of harm or hurt
• Ethical practice involves doing good and doing no harm

Justice and Fidelity

• Justice refers to fairness and the distribution of resources
• Fidelity refers to faithfulness or the agreement to keep promises
• Fidelity is honored when providing excellent care to all patients, including those with different values

Code of Ethics

• A code of ethics is a set of guiding principles for a profession
• Key principles include advocacy, responsibility, accountability, and confidentiality
• Advocacy refers to applying skills and knowledge for the benefit of another person
• Responsibility refers to respecting professional obligations and following through
• Accountability refers to answering for one's own actions
• Confidentiality refers to respecting patient privacy and keeping personal health information private

Ethical Theories

• Deontology: examines a situation for the existence of essential right or wrong, focusing on the act itself and judging its "rightness" by the rules or principles it upholds
• Utilitarianism: proposes that the value of something is determined by its usefulness, focusing on the outcomes of an act
• Casuistry: uses case-based reasoning, focusing on the details of a situation and finding similar precedent cases to determine a course of action
• Feminist Ethics (Ethics of Care): emphasizes the role of the decision maker in the situation, caring relationships, and a strong sense of responsibility

Ethical Problems in Nursing

• Ethical Dilemma: an ethical problem where two opposing courses of action can both be justified by ethical principles
• Moral Distress: when a nurse feels the need to take a specific action while believing that action to be wrong

Ethics Committees

• Provides clinical ethics consultation
• Develops and/or revises policies pertaining to clinical ethics and hospital policy
• Facilitates education about topical issues in clinical ethics

Steps in Addressing Ethical Issues

• Step 1: Identify if the issue is an ethical problem
• Step 2: Gather relevant information from patient, family, health care agency, and social perspectives
• Step 3: Identify ethical elements, clarifying values and recognizing principles involved
• Step 4: Clearly state the problem
• Step 5: Identify possible courses of action
• Step 6: Create and implement an action plan
• Step 7: Evaluate the action plan

Additional Notes

• Social media can be a supportive source of information about patient care or professional nursing activities
• Nurses have an obligation and privilege to articulate their point of view regarding patients, health care systems, and agencies
• Access to health care is an ethical issue of justice

This quiz explores the concepts of morals, ethics, and values, and how they relate to our beliefs and behavior. It delves into the differences between morals and ethics, and the role of values in shaping our understanding of right and wrong.