Ethics Exam 1

What are the key stages of a funeral arrangement?

1. Notification of death

2. Transfer of remains

3. Arrangement conference

4. Selection of casket and other merchandise

5. First viewing (preview)

6. Visitation (visiting/calling hours)

7. Vigil (vigil/wake service)

8. Funeral

9. Funeral procession

10. Committal service

11. Post funeral service/aftercare

Funeral Practicioner

A person properly licensed and engaged in, making funeral arrangements and supervising final disposition

What are the 5 major roles for funeral practitioners?

1. Caretakers of the dead

2. Caretakers of the living

3. Compassionate advisor

4. Administrator

5. Community leader

What are the responsibilities of funeral practitioners?

1. Make funeral arrangements as meaningful and purposeful as possible

2. Encourage the expression of emotions

3. Understand the social and legal requirements that need to be followed

4. Engage in community education

5. Invent new ways to care/meet the needs of families

6. Maintain a professional approach to the field/practice

Embalmer

A person, properly licensed, who disinfects, preserves, and/or restores a dead human body

What are the duties of embalming?

1. Create a “lasting image” of the deceased

2. Prevent unnecessary exposure of the deceased

3. Regard the deceased as sacred

Funeral Establishment

A facility used in the care and preparation for the funeral and/or final disposition of dead human bodies

What are the types of service options?

1. Vigil

2. Graveside service

3. Traditional funeral service

4. Committal service

5. Memorial service

6. Direct cremation

7. Immediate burial

8. Forwarding/receiving remains

9. Donation

Ethics

The branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions

Philosophy

Set of values, ideas, and opinions of an individual or group

Religion

Culturally entrenched pattern of behavior made up of: sacred beliefs, emotional feelings accompanying the beliefs, and overt conduct presumably implementing the beliefs and feelings

Secular

Shaped independently from religious beliefs

Values

Beliefs held in high esteem

Code of Ethics

A declaration or public statement of professional standards of right and wrong conduct

Utilitarianism

The morally right action produces the greatest good for the largest number of people

Deontology

The morality of an action is determined by its motives or in accordance with some rule

Virtue

Emphasizes the development of good character traits, such as courage, honesty, and compassion