Principles of Ethics PDF

Principles of Ethics Prepared by Dr. Heba Mostafa Mohamed 2023-2024  Outlines  Introduction  Definitions of the term ethics.  Ethics and Morality.  The principles of ethics.  A different set of principles of ethics ...

Principles of Ethics Prepared by Dr. Heba Mostafa Mohamed 2023-2024  Outlines  Introduction  Definitions of the term ethics.  Ethics and Morality.  The principles of ethics.  A different set of principles of ethics  Introduction  Every day, in all professional practice setting, nurses fight with the relationship between ethical and legal concepts, often asking themselves if they are protecting the legal rights of patients while being sensitive to individual needs for autonomy and Justice.  Definitions of Ethics:  Ethics refer to the study of ideals of right and wrong behavior. It is concerned with the study of good conduct, character and motives determining what are good or which valuable for all people.  Ethics are the rules that govern over behavior both socially and professionally.  Definition of Morals  Morals provides standards of behaviors these standards guide the behavior of an individuals or social group. The moral is established rules in situation in which decision about right and wrong must be made.  An example of moral standard is good people do work.  Principles of Ethics:  The value of life.  Goodness and rightness.  Justice or fairness.  Truth-telling or honesty.  Individual freedom.  1- The Value of life  Human being should revere life and accept death. ” Edel (1955) asks : “ to whom is life a good” Harris (1987) “ The Theory of QALY” “Quality Adjusted Life Year “  2-Goodness and Rightness  This principle demands:  That we promote goodness over badness.  That we cause no harm or badness.  That we prevent badness or harm  3-Justice or Fairness  Justice is fair, equitable and appropriate treatment. It is the basis for the obligation to treat all clients in an equal and fair way. Just decision is based on client need and fair distribution resources.  The moral assumptions underlying medical ethics are rarely in dispute It is the application of these assumptions to specific cases that the dispute arise.  4-Truth-telling or honesty (Veracity) Veracity means telling the truth, which is essential to the integrity of the client-provider relationship. Health care providers obliged to be honest with clients. The right to self-determination becomes meaningless if the client does not receive accurate, unbiased, and understandable information.  5-The principle of individual freedom  Freedom=life Use freedom to preserve life , Do right , and be good , act Justly and tell the truth if we have no freedom to do this , we have no morality therefore , neither can this principle , nor the others four stand alone  A different Set of Principles Major principles of nursing ethics are: - Autonomy is the promotion of independent choice, self- determination and freedom of action. The term autonomy implies for basic elements The autonomous person is respected The autonomous person must be able to determine personal goals. The autonomous person has the capacity to decide on a plan of action. The autonomous person has the freedom to act upon the choices.  Four factors for violations of patient autonomy  Nurses may assume that patients have the same values and goals as themselves.  Failure to recognize that individuals’ thought processes are different.  Assumptions about patients’ knowledge base.  Focus on work rather than caring.  Noncompliance may result from two factors:  When plans seem unreasonable to the patient.  Patients may be unable to comply with plans for a variety of reasons including resources, lack of knowledge, psychological and cultural factors.  Beneficence Beneficence is doing or promoting good. This principle is the basis for all health care providers. Nurses take beneficent actions when they administer pain medication, perform a dressing to promote wound healing or providing support to a client who is anxious or depressed.  The principle of beneficence has three components: Promote good Prevent harm Remove evil or harm  Non-maleficience Non-maleficience: It means to avoid doing harm. When working with clients, health care workers must not cause injury or suffering to clients. Ex. Experimental research that have negative consequences on the client.  Fidelity Fidelity means being faithful to one's commitments and promises. Nurses’ commitments to clients include providing safe care and maintaining competence in nursing practice. In some instances, a promise is made to a client in an over way. Nurse must use good judgment when making promises to client. Fidelity means not only keeping commitment but also keeping or maintaining our obligation.  Training questions 1. Ethics refer to standards of behaviors these standards guide the behavior of an individuals or social group ( ) 2. Non-maleficience means doing harm ( ) 3. Beneficence it is a basic principle for all health care providers. ( ) 4. Fidelity means being not faithful to one's commitments and promises. ( ) 5. List to five principles of ethics.