Moral Character

  • Definition: Refers to the moral qualities and ethical principles that guide an individual's behavior and decisions.

Group Morality

  • Definition: The set of moral principles that govern the behavior of a group of individuals, emphasizing communal ethics and collective responsibilities.

Interprofessional Care Team (IPCT)

  • Definition: A collaborative approach in healthcare where professionals from various disciplines work together to provide comprehensive care to patients.

Professional Codes of Ethics

  • Definition: Guidelines designed to set out acceptable behaviors for members of a particular profession, ensuring integrity and public trust.

Hippocratic Oath

  • Definition: An ethical code attributed to Hippocrates, outlining the obligations and proper conduct of medical professionals.

Ethicist/Ethics Committees

  • Definition: Individuals or groups composed of professionals who provide guidance on ethical issues in healthcare decisions and policies.

Ethics

  • Definition: A branch of philosophy that deals with what is morally right and wrong and involves the systematic evaluation of actions and choices.

Moral Repugnance

  • Definition: The deep-seated refusal to participate in practices considered morally objectionable, often protected by law.

Gold Standard of Ethics

  • Definition: The highest level of ethical practice, often used as a benchmark for evaluating ethical standards in various fields.

Goal of Professional Ethics (Caring Response)

  • Definition: The aim of professional ethics is to foster caring relationships that prioritize the well-being of patients and communities.

Claim

  • Definition: A statement or assertion that something is the case, typically requiring evidence or justification.
  • Definition: A moral or legal entitlement to have or obtain something or to act in a certain way.

Patient-Centered vs. Relationship-Centered Care

  • Patient-Centered Care: Focuses on the individual needs, preferences, and values of the patient.
  • Relationship-Centered Care: Emphasizes the importance of relationships among all parties involved in healthcare, including patients, families, and providers.

Accountability and Responsiveness

  • Accountability: The obligation to accept responsibility for actions and decisions in professional practice.
  • Responsiveness: The ability and willingness to address the needs and concerns of patients promptly and effectively.

Social Determinants of Health

  • Definition: The social and economic conditions that influence individual and group differences in health status.

Clinical Questions

  • Definition: Queries that arise in a clinical setting regarding the care, treatment, and management of patients.

Legal Questions

  • Definition: Inquiries that pertain to legal obligations, rights, and duties within the healthcare context.

Ethical Questions

  • Definition: Questions that involve moral principles and values in decision-making processes related to healthcare.

3 Common Features of Problems

  • Moral Agent: The individual or group responsible for making ethical decisions.
  • Course of Action: The potential actions that can be taken in response to an ethical issue.
  • Outcome: The consequences that result from the course of action taken.

Locus of Authority

  • Definition: The source of authority in ethical decision-making, often leading to conflicts and confusion over who holds the ultimate moral responsibility.

Moral Distress

  • Definition: A psychological response experienced when one knows the right thing to do but feels powerless to act according to their beliefs due to constraints.

Ethical Dilemma

  • Definition: A situation in which a person faces conflicting moral principles, making it difficult to determine the right course of action.

Moral Residue

  • Definition: The lingering feelings of guilt or unease that result from morally distressing situations, affecting future decision-making.

Clinical Reasoning

  • Definition: The cognitive process that healthcare professionals use to assess, analyze, and resolve patient care issues.

Ethical Reasoning

  • Definition: The deliberative process of considering ethical principles and values when making decisions in healthcare.

Narrative Approach

  • Definition: A method of ethical reasoning that emphasizes storytelling and personal experiences to understand ethical issues deeply.

Principle-Based Theories and Approaches

  • Frameworks that utilize key ethical principles to guide clinical decision-making and ethical evaluations:
    • 4 Pillars: Autonomy, Beneficence, Nonmaleficence, Justice.
    • Deontology: An ethical theory that emphasizes duties and rules in decision-making processes, asserting that certain actions are inherently right or wrong, regardless of consequences.
    • Utilitarianism: An ethical theory that advocates for actions that maximize overall happiness or utility, focusing on the outcomes of decisions.

Decision Making

  • Definition: The process of making choices or determining a course of action among several alternatives in healthcare contexts.

Ethical Decision Making Profile

  • Definition: A framework or model that outlines the factors and considerations influencing ethical decision-making in clinical practice.

6-Step Process of Ethical Decision Making

  1. Identify the ethical issue.
  2. Gather relevant information.
  3. Explore the alternatives.
  4. Consider the consequences.
  5. Make a decision.
  6. Evaluate the decision.

Moral Courage

  • Definition: The ability to act on one’s ethical beliefs despite facing adversity, opposition, or personal risk.

Dual Role

  • Definition: The situation where a professional has multiple responsibilities that may conflict, particularly in clinical and ethical contexts.

Preventable Adverse Event

  • Definition: Any incident that could have been avoided and leads to harm to a patient as a result of medical management.

Peer Evaluation/Peer Review

  • Definition: A process where colleagues in the same field evaluate each other’s performance, often for quality improvement and accountability.

Whistleblowing

  • Definition: The act of reporting unethical practices or violations within an organization, often involving significant personal risk.

Anti-Retaliation

  • Definition: Legal protections provided to whistleblowers to prevent punishment or adverse consequences resulting from their reporting.

Impairment

  • Definition: A decrease or inability in functioning or capability, particularly concerning a professional's capacity to perform duties adequately.

Organizational Ethics

  • Definition: The ethical practices and values adopted by an organization that guide its operations and decision-making processes.

Mission Statement

  • Definition: A formal summary of the aims and values of an organization, guiding its strategies and decision-making.

Policy

  • Definition: A deliberate system of principles to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes within an organization.

Conflict of Loyalty

  • Definition: A situation in which an individual is torn between two competing loyalties, typically between the organization and their ethical obligations.

Conflict of Interest

  • Definition: A situation in which a professional's personal interests might compromise their judgment, integrity, or objectivity in performing their duties.

Stakeholder

  • Definition: Any individual or group that has an interest in or is affected by the outcomes of a particular decision or policy.

Cost Efficiency

  • Definition: A measure of how effectively resources are used to achieve the best possible outcomes while minimizing costs.

ACA

  • Definition: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a landmark healthcare law enacted in March 2010 to expand healthcare coverage and improve healthcare delivery.