1. Introduction To Ethics.pptx

1. Introduction
To Ethics:
Dr. Ayub Abdulkadir (Dr. Alto)
Medical Ethics

Definitions:
oEthics: is the branch of philosophy related to morals,
moral principles, and moral judgments.
• Ethics affect how people make decisions and lead their
lives.
oMedical ethics: is a system of moral principles that
apply values and judgments to the practice of
medicine.
oMorals: refer to an individual’s own principles regarding
right and wrong.
oLaws: are rules or actions prescribed by an authority
such as the federal government and the court system
that have a binding legal force.

Types of ethics:
1. Professional ethics: are standards of conduct that apply
to people who occupy a professional occupation or role.
2. Medical ethics: Concerns issues related to practice of
medicine.
3. Bioethics: could be defined as the study of ethical issues
and decision-making associated with the use of living
organisms.
4. Clinical medical ethics: is a practical and applied discipline
that aims to improve patient care and patient outcomes
by focusing on reaching a right and good decision in
individual cases.

• THE CONTENT OF CLINICAL ETHICS INCLUDES:
1. Truth-telling.
2. Informed consent.
3. End of life care.
4. Palliative care.
5. Allocation of clinical resources.
6. The ethics of medical research.
7. The study of the doctor-patient relationship,
including such issues as:
A. Honesty.
B. Competence.
C. Integrity.
D. Respect for persons.

Why Study Law, Ethics, and
Bioethics?:
• Helps to protect patients from poor medical care
• Helps protect employee and employer from
lawsuits
• Assists medical professional in making decisions
based on reason and logic rather than on just
emotion

Ethics are not …
1. Ethics is not the same as feelings
2. Ethics is not religion
3. Ethics is not following the law
4. Ethics is not following culturally accepted norms
5. Ethics is not science

Ethics are …
1. Moral Principles
2. What is good and bad
3. What is right and wrong
4. Based on value system
5. Ethical norms are not universal – depends on the
sub culture of the society.

Ethics vs Laws:
Ethics are rules of conduct.
• Laws are rules developed by governments in order
to provide balance in society and protection to its
citizens.
Ethics comes from people’s awareness of what is
right and wrong.
• Laws are enforced by governments to its people.

Ethics are moral codes which every person must
conform to.
• Laws are codifications of ethics meant to regulate
society.
Ethics does not carry any punishment to anyone
who violates it.
• The law will punish anyone who happens to violate
it.
Ethics comes from within a person’s moral values.
• Laws are made with ethics as a guiding principle.

Rights-Based Ethics:
• Emphasis on individuals’ rights
• Rights belong to all people
• Weakness: may result in individualist, selfish
behavior—even anarchy.

Duty-Based Ethics:
• Focuses on performing duty
• Explores conflicting opinions about “duty”
• Differs depending on professional role (i.e., RN,
physician assistant, medical assistant)
• Weakness: difficult to know who determines one’s
duty.

Virtue-Based Ethics:
• Emphasis on people, not on decisions or principles
involved
• Examples: fairness, honesty, courage, and justice
• Seeking the “good life”
• Weakness: a person may become too trusting and
complacent.

Workplace Issues:
I. Privacy, or confidentiality.
II. Due process.
III. Workplace free from sexual
harassment.
IV. Comparable worth.

The Hippocratic oath:
• Many people are familiar with the idea that doctors
take a solemn oath, in which they promise to
behave ethically and in accordance with the moral
standards required for the practice of medicine.

THE WORLD MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
DECLARATION OF GENEVA:
• At the time of being admitted as a member of the
medical profession:
1. I will give to my teachers the respect.
2. I will practice my profession with conscience and
dignity.
3. The health of my patient will be my first
consideration.
4. I will respect the secrets that are confided in me,
even after the patient has died.

5. My colleagues will be my sisters and brothers.
6. I will not permit considerations of age, disease or
disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality,
political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social
standing or any other factor to intervene
between my duty and my patient.
7. I will maintain the utmost respect for human life.
8. I will not use my medical knowledge to violate
human rights and civil liberties, even under
threat.
9. I make these promises solemnly, freely and upon
my honor.

Consequentialism:
• Consequentialism: as its name suggests, is a theory
whose focus is purely on the outcome of an action.
• Deontology: stems from the Greek for ‘duty’.

Four basic Principles of
Medical Ethics:
A. Autonomy.
B. Beneficence.
C. Non maleficience.
D. Justice.

1. Autonomy: Patient has freedom of thought,
intention and action when making decisions
regarding health care procedures.
2. Beneficence: The practitioner should act in “the
best interest” of the patient - the procedure be
provided with the intent of doing good to the
patient.
3. Non maleficience: “Above all, do no harm,“ –
Make sure that the procedure does not harm the
patient or others in society.
4. Justice: The burdens and benefits of new or
experimental treatments must be distributed
equally among all groups in society.

Three-Step Ethics Model:
1. Is it legal?
2. Is it balanced? For example, does one person or
group benefit or suffer more than another?
3. How does it make me feel (i.e., embarrassed,
proud)?

Seven-Step Model for
Examining Ethical Dilemmas:
1. Determine the facts
2. Define the precise ethical issue
3. Identify the major principles, rules, and values
4. Specify the alternatives
5. Compare values and alternatives
6. Assess the consequences
7. Make a decision.

Quality assurance programs:
• In addition to ethics committees, most hospitals
and healthcare agencies have a quality
assurance (QA) program.
• Quality assurance (QA) is gathering and evaluating
information about the services provided, as well as
the results achieved, and comparing this
information with an accepted standard.
• Quality assessment measures consist of formal,
systematic evaluations of overall
patient care.

• The types of issues that are reviewed by a QA
committee are:
a) Patient complaints relating to confidentiality.
b) Errors in dispensing medications.
c) Errors in labeling of laboratory specimens.
d) Adverse reactions to treatments and/or
medications.
e) Inability to obtain venous blood on the first
attempt.
f) Safety and monitoring practices for radiology and
laboratory areas.
g) Infection control.

1. Introduction To Ethics.pptx

More Related Content

What's hot (20)

Similar to 1. Introduction To Ethics.pptx (20)

More from Dr. Ayub Abdulkadir Abdi (13)

Recently uploaded (20)

1. Introduction To Ethics.pptx