Ethics and Legal Issues Flashcards

Flashcards for key vocabulary related to ethics and legal issues.

Autonomy

Respecting a person's right to make their own decisions regarding their care and life.

Beneficence

The ethical duty to do good, promote well-being, and act in the best interest of others.

Nonmaleficence

The obligation to avoid causing harm or injury to others.

Fidelity

Being faithful to commitments and keeping promises; maintaining trust.

Justice

Treating people fairly and equitably, including fair distribution of resources.

Veracity

The obligation to tell the truth and not deceive others.

Ethics

The principles and values that guide behavior in terms of what is right and wrong.

Code of Ethics

A formal document that outlines the ethical principles and expected behaviors of a profession.

Professional Reasoning

The process by which professionals make informed, ethical, and evidence-based decisions.

Ethical Dilemma

A situation in which a choice must be made between two morally acceptable or unacceptable options, but choosing one compromises the other.

Ethical Distress

Occurs when one knows the right thing to do but is constrained from doing it, often due to external pressures.

Confidentiality

The duty to keep a client's personal and medical information private.

Informed Consent

The process of providing a client with adequate information to make a knowledgeable decision about their care, and obtaining their voluntary agreement.

Law

A system of rules created and enforced by governments to regulate behavior.

Licensure

The process by which a governmental authority grants permission to individuals to practice a profession.

Statutes

Laws enacted by legislative bodies (e.g., Congress or state legislatures).

Regulations

Rules created by government agencies that provide details for implementing statutes.

Mandatory Reporting

The legal obligation to report certain events (e.g., abuse or neglect) to authorities.

Morals

Personal or societal beliefs about what is right and wrong.

Locus of Authority

Refers to who has the ethical and legal right to make decisions in a given situation.