Course Unit 8

UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLE USED

IN BIOETHICS/ HEALTH ETHICS

IBNO, JIBRIL A.
LICOPA, JULIA ANDREI C.

HEALTH
CARE
ETHICS
 HEALTH CARE ETHICS
deals with the conduct and moral issues that
arise in the practice of health care professionals
(nurses, doctors etc,)
It is concerned with health care values,
obligations, rights and needs.
Eg. Choosing what is best for mother and
unborn child; what medical records can be
disclosed or confidential?

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES USED IN

HEALTH CARE
STANDARD OF BEST INTEREST

The health care provider must decide what the

best course of action for the patient, when the
patient are unable to make decisions about
their own care.
 AUTONOMY
Patient autonomy, refers to the patients
right to make decisions for themselves
according to their own system of morals and
beliefs.
 Characteristics of Autonomy:

1. Free Action - It must be intentional and conscious choice of

the action.
2. Authenticity- it must be consistent with his attitudes,
values, dispositions and life plans.
3. Effective deliberation- Giving clear thought, giving proper
considerations to the alternatives and their consequences.
4. Moral re lection- a deeper level of self introspection which
involves the ability for rigorous self analysis, awareness of individual
self values.

APPLICATION OF AUTONOMY:
1. Informed Consent - because the client is an
autonomous person.

Do not provide advice or recommendations as to

what course of action the patient and his family must
resort to.

The nurse must inform patient with all available

options including cost, procedure, bene its and risks.

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 PATERNALISM
physicians assume the authority to make decisions for
the patients.

Only if the patient is:

Diminished decision making capacity.

Mentally incompetent

Delirious

Unconscious or under the in luence of substance.

Signi icant others is not around.

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 PARENTALISM
translates to professionals who restricts other autonomy
to protect the person form perceived or anticipated
harm.

This is appropriate when the patient is judged to be

incompetent or have diminished decision making
capacity; unconscious post op patient, older client,
children, and teen agers.

 BENEFICENCE
Is a value in which the provider takes actions or
recommends concerns that are in the patient best interest.

Doing or recommending actions in the patients best

interest.

The goal of the health care providers should be that which

would bene it the client.

To take positive steps to prevent and remove harm from

them.

 NONCOMPLIANCE
denoting unwillingness of the patient to
participate in health care activities; taking
medications as scheduled, maintaining
therapeutic or weight loss diet, exercising
regularly, and quitting smoking.
 JUSTICE
Is the proper allocation of resources in a manner
that is fair and just, though not necessary equal.

The health care providers view client as person

having equal rights and treatments.

Equal access to care or treatment..

 DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE

fair and equitable distribution of goods and

services.

E.g. who will occupy the intensive care beds, which

type of patient will be accepted in the emergency
room and so on

 VERACITY

Refers to the principle of truthfulness

Is applied in the nurse’s responsibility never to

mislead or deceive a patient

This is simply honesty.

 NONMALEFICENCE
The principle of Nonmale icence is based on a
person’s rigorous obligation to avoid injuring another
individual.

Obligation of health care provider to DO NOT HARM

and to protect from harm to those who cannot protect
themselves such as children, mentally incompetent,
and unconscious patients.

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 PRINCIPLE OF DOUBLE EFFECT

Unintended medical consequences are acceptable if

the intended consequences are legitimate and the harm
is proportionally smaller than the bene it.

Eg. Providing high dose analgesics to a hospice

patient even though it may unintentionally shorten life.

 FIDELITY
Is un linching loyalty, steadfastness and adherence to
once views obligations, vows, promises or morals.

this principles stand for dedication, loyalty,

truthfulness, advocacy and fairness.

principle concerned with building trusting

relationship.
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 CONFIDENTIALITY
important aspect of the trust that patient place in
healthcare professional.

patient expected a more vigorous standard of

con identiality than that in current practice.

conversation between doctors and patient-physician

privilege.

is the ability to take information that is given discreetly

and not reveal to others.
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 2 EXCEPTION OF CONFIDENTIALITY
1. Concern Safety of Others

- if there is a good reason to believe speci ic

individuals are placed in serious danger.

2. Concern for Public Welfare

- in most cases of con identiality, the healthcare

practitioner is required to report certain communicable or
infectious diseases to the public health authorities.
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DO WE BEAK CONFIDENTIALITY?
DO WE BEAK CONFIDENTIALITY?
PRINCIPLES OF BIOETHICS
PRINCIPLE OF STEWARDSHIP
requires us to appreciate 2 great gifts that a wise
and loving God has given; the earth, with all the
natural resource and out own human nature, with
its biological, psychological, social and spiritual
capacities.
PRINCIPLE OF INVIOLABILITY OF LIFE

states that life is Gods has been loaned to u hence,

it is inviolable and sacred. God alone has the
complete control and dominion over life; out duty
is to take care of it until death.
PRINCIPLE OF SEXUALITY AND PROCREATION

underscores a two fold purpose of sexual union:

1. Procreation and nurturing of children

2. Expression of loving union and companionship.

 ACTUAL DUTY

is ones’ real duty in a given situation. It is the

action one ought to choose from among many
others.
 PRIMA FACIE DUTY
one that directs or command what ought to
perform when other relevant factor are no taken
into account.
 7 TYPES OF PRIMA FACIE DUTIES
1. Duty of Fidelity- concept of faithfulness and keeping promises.

2. Duty of reparation- making amends, right the wrongs done to

others

3. Duty of gratitude- to appreciate and recognize the service

others have done for us.

4. Duty of justice- proper distribution of social bene its and

burdens (Ross, 1877)

5. Duty of bene icence- one ought to promote good,

prevent evil or harm

6. Duty of self improvement- to improve oneself so as to

be able to cultivate others the duty or self improvement

7. Duty on non-male icence- avoid causing harm or

suffering , disability, and death among patients.
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100%
Fact information
 “

ETHICO-MORAL
RESPONSIBILIT
Y OF NURSES
IN SURGERY
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1. Routine circumcision of Male Minors

- The commonest form of assault the sexual organ

have su ered is male and female circumcision.
Although it is a deliberate wounding of children by
adults, it has always been done with the best of
intentions.

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2. Plastic surgery / reconstructive surgery

- While surgery is the last resort to improve

one’s health there are cases of surgery done
with no real medical indication a case of
unnecessary surgery.

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3. Prerequisites for e ective consent to surgery

1. Valid consent on the person behalf or free

from unwanted touching as a civil and
criminal wrong. Except in emergency cases
posing threats to life, danger of bodily harm,
self defense, jostling in the crowd, and
contact sport.

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3. Prerequisites for e ective consent to surgery

2. Surgery is recognized as technical battery that can

be excused only when there is expressed or implied
consent from the patient. Without e ective consent ,
liability arises from the simple act of touching.

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3. Prerequisites for e ective consent to surgery

3. Consent must be informed in order to be valid

4. Consent should include risk in the procedure.
5. Consent must be written to provide a record for
the transaction.
6. Consent to treatment is usually given by parents or
gurdian

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