

Health Ethics 
Listen -understand lessons. if not, ASK
participate-share ideas/answers
1st Day
 take down notes
1. greetings; introduce self
2. collect classcards  if absent, excuse letter next day
3. course outline  no special SQ for absent students
 distribution (photocopy)  LE-special exam given but higher percentage
 orientation-study human behavior ; make passing
decisions  quizzes may be announced or unannounced-be
4. expectations ready everyday
 from teachers  come in complete uniform
 from learners-properly behave; make  school shoes
good decisions  male-sando shirt, short hair, no earrings
 teachers from students - requirements should be submitted on time
5. seating arrangement-assign students; make
assignment for next meeting
computerized (collect 1x1 photo)
1. study mission/vision
6. class evaluation-50%
2. read on ethics /topic
50% -LE
30%-SQ-no special exam
Day 2-2 hours
10%-Requirements
1. ask seat plan
10%-attitude/behavior
2. collect remaining uncollected classcards
 class decorum-attention to
3. greetings
lesson, noise,
4. name, hero in your life, why
orderliness/cleanliness
5. vision/mission-MMSU-CHS MVGO, Dept of
 class participation Nursing MVGO
 politeness/courtesy 6. what are your notion/idea/understanding about
 attendance health ethics; ethics
 follow instructions

Teacher Expectations
 Based sustainable development- with the vision that it
will not destroy environment/resources for the sake of
attaining the vision

Mission:
Unit I-Introduction  contribute better quality life-education cheap-
This is your second year at MMSU. For sure, you have progress person
an idea of the mission and vision of the university.  ecologically balance-not destroy environment
(plant trees, research on garbage)
MMSU: Vision  quality instruction, production, research and
Major source of extension
 industry ready graduate  adequate manpower-recruitment; faculty
 market oriented technologyfor agri- development
industrializationbased sustainable development  educational resources-library, books, continuous
requisition of books; improve equipment
Is the university able to attain the vision? If yes, why?  adequate information technologies-computer,
If no, why? internet
CHS Mission
Industry ready graduate  Instruction-students-provide quality education –
 graduate can use KS in industry/place of work nsg, pt and pharmacy
exposed  Research-students/faculty-conduct
ex: nsg students-graduate able to function as relevant/related research
nurse  Extension-help community to attain health and
 produce profession that are useful link/partner health program implementation

CHS Goals and Objectives

Market-oriented technologies  opportunites for students integrate KS learned
 up to date skills/technologies that are useful for professional practice
 presently competitive skills/technologies
  foster research effort-research as requirement in
Level IV; faculty
 organized extension program/projects
 service to community, family and individual
clients/patients-attain maximum health
 health assistance to ind., family and
community/coordination/linking/partnership
with other health professions
Department of Nursing
 quality instruction and training to nursing
student
 improve people’s lives thru extension and
research
Department of Nursing: Goals and Objectives
 develop competent, effective globally
competitive nurses
 compassionated, committed, critically thinking
nurses
 function independently / with others
 undertake research-improve quality nursing
education
 provide extension services relevant to
community needs
 link and partner with other health agencies in
health programs-based on national health
programs
Why is Health Ethics Important and be taught in
Nursing?
So that when we take care of our clients, we are more or
less sure we are providing good and right care/service
and our dealing/treatment to fellow HCP, family is good
and right
 committed to appropriate moral, ethical and
social behavior lead to excellent health practice
Importance of Health Ethics in Nursing
1. HCP make decisions
2. Advancement in science and
technology
3. presence of multiculture and multiple
faith society
HCP make decisions
 as health care providers, we provide
care/health services
 in providing care/service, we give
opinions, make decisions for our
patients/clients
 there are instances/situation wherein
making decisions is not easy to do
 our decisions that we make might be in
conflict with what others prefer
  as a person, most of the time we are
unconsciously influenced by our own
values, beliefs and conscience
 so we have to examine our own values,
beliefs, conscience and actions when we
make decisions/judgment or behavior
 even if we are expert as nurse-
knowledgeable and skillful, this does
not mean we are also automatically
expert in dealing with a situation in the
good or right way.
 ones valued opinion/decision/action
depend on the quality of reasoning and
rationale you provide
 HC provides care
↓
makes decision/gives opinionACT
↓ HCP cares for man
not easy to make decisions
↓ science/technology improved/progresses
in conflict with others what we believe is good
↓ men’s advantage and goodness?
we as person influenced unconsciously by own
values, beliefs and conscience
↓
so examine own values, beliefs, actions, conscience
when we make decision/judgment/behavior-depend
on the quality of reasoning and rationale we provide
Advancement in science and technology
What is the reason why we become nurses?
A. take care –sick/people-human being-
rational/thinking being; with emotions/feelings
 use technologies and science in health care must
always be examined
 with all advancement,. progress and
development ahead of us, where will the
progress, in science bring us
 do all the
progress/development/improvements
really on man’s advantage and man’s
goodness at the end
 just because we can do this thing and
that thing we should do it
↓
↓
↓
man thinking/rational; with value/valuable
 answers to question easily answered by result of
science
 but answers to questions regarding
values /worthyness to men do hot have
ready answers
  this is the reason for our subject-to know clients fellow professional nurses and
right and good. society/community in general.
Ex. Canister scandal?

PRESENCE OF MULTICULTURE AND

MULTIPLE FAITH SOCIETY
 There are more people now, more HCP
 Before there are few HCP but now,  100
specialties. Before, only nurses, physicians,
pharmacists. There was common values and
beliefs of the HCP and patients Unit II-Nature of Ethics
 Now the HCP work with patients and co-
workers with various cultural background and Definition of terms:
practices and different sets of values Health
 So as individuals we tend to come to different Ethics
opinion idea with regard to issues of what is Bioethics
right and wrong, but this idea does not mean all Health Ethics
opinions, ideas, decisions, judgment/actions are Morality
equal and worthy and credible. Moral
 In health care practice there are
decisions/actions that must not be made/
tolerated.
 Health ethics is life is sign post on the road.
There are several definitions of Health. Let us mention
 Health ethics “it points out why the right
some:
services, practices and appropriate decisions
 Health science is very demanding on the
HEALTH
character of health care professionals so we
 Complete physical, mental, social wellbeing
should be guided by appropriate moral, ethical,
not merely the absence of disease or infirmity
social behaviors when we deal with our patients,
(WHO)
  Absence of s/s of disease and injury  A science that guides our own judgment on
(Clinical/Medical Model) morality of human act
 Based on relationship of person to the  A disciplined study devoted to rational analysis
environment and agent (ecological model) and justification of moral principles that provide
 Environment –internal (electrolyte, blood, knowledge and insight regarding what we ought
etc) and external (relationship with family, to do in order to attain the most of what is best
physical living condition) in human life (Chin 1979)
 Agent-factors in environment (↓blood,  Disciplined study- organized process
↓electrolytes, poor relation/interactions,  rational analysis-reflection rather than intention
poor housing, climate) or response at “gut level” (yon ang feel kong
tama.”)
To be healthy  Justification: reasons presented for a specific
 Function as a whole action that prove the action to be just, right or
 Living productively valid
 Science of ideals
ETHICS
 Greek word "ethos"-characteristic way of acting Ethics may mean different things to different people
but generally ethics is a way to understand and examine
Brief History moral life.
Greece concerned development of character which lead
 Knowing right thing to do Ethics may be used as an overall view or set of
 Doing right thing principles of what is right/good behavior or conduct.
development of Ex. principles that guide human conduct/behavior-
 Living the right way of life virtuous and moral
ethical theories, code of ethics
character of a person
Socrates -great Greek moralist
MORALITY
 Branch of philosophy (study what life is)  Latin word "moralis" = meaning social
 A study of methods and principles to distinguish consensus about normal conduct for human
good from bad; right from wrong actions (What being
is sound?)
  Quality of human act-concerned with goodness and analysis of statement
or rightness of human act
 Human conduct itself Ethical principles and good moral conduct both
necessary for HCP to develop
Comparison: both ethics and morality is about human
conduct So: “train mind”-have good ethics
Contrast: “train will”-do good morals
Ethics deals on principles of human conduct
Morality-quality of act itself HEALTH ETHICS
Used to have separate definition but now ethics and  Science that guide health care provider toward
morality are synonymous; both deal with human conduct moral ethical behavior in delivery of excellent
toward goodness health practices, services to patient, client,
family, colleagues and community
MORALS
 Latin word “mores”-means custom or habit BIOETHICS
 Good conduct Bio=life
 Conduct itself Ethics-principles of human conduct
Explain: One can have good ethics and bad morals.”
What should be the HCPs (physicians, nurses, etc)
Answer: Principles of human conduct=correct/ conduct/behaviors toward life?
ethical;
Actions/conduct is bad/wrong Answer: learn this subject
Example:
Term moral and ethics often interchanged in books we  Branch of science which deals with problems of
read but different life and dying, health and healing
 It attempts to rationalize or justify application
Morals Ethics and use of many advanced technologies
Seen as conventions; norms  Reasoning with analysis  Often bioethics and health care ethics
of society; practiced;  Disciplined inquiry interchange but bioethics is focused on moral
actions underlying a moral code
 Explanation, interpretation
issues in health care field
Brief History:
  Bioethics evolved as a result of life and death
moral dilemmas faced by physician, nurses, etc.
 The birth of bioethics by Jonsen (1998)= 1947-
1987, span of 40 years =era when bioethics
evolved as discipline
 Era started –Nuremberg Tribunal 1947 when
Nazi physicians changed and convicted for
murderous war crime they label as scientific
experiments during early 1940s.
 Judgments during final court trial ruling-basis
for the Nuremburg Code of 1947. This code
became a document used to protect human
subjects during research and experimentations.
 1950s-1960s=preliminary years before actual
birth of bioethics; transformation years as
technologies advanced=cause new ethics
emerging about life and extension of life
through technology
Ex. polio vaccines discovery; better
transporation tech; improved life support
technologies
 1960s-1970s=coming up of issues of “who
should die”, “who should live”, “who “should
decide; conferences and workshops on issues on
life and death
 1970s-public, medical group, researchers now
referring the issues as bioethics
 Today bioethics is vast interdisciplinary venture
interest public

Aims of bioethics today:
a. Continue to search answers to deep
philosophical questions about life and
significance of human beings
b. To help guide and control public policy
To understand health ethics/bioethics is to understand
basic concepts/principles and theories of ethics
Let us start….. that Ethics as a Science
Ethics as a Science
 Practical
 Natural
 Moral
 Philosophical
Ethics is a science that deals with man. But there are
other sciences that also deal with man.
Science Ethics guide our judgment on human conduct
Natural Use of power of reason (which is a natural
process)
Natural man-rational/thinking being;
knowing what is right and wrong without
anybody telling you
Man endowed naturally with moral sense
(self-conscious with what is right and good)
Practical Studied to be applied, not for love of learning
Moral Study human act/deals with human act
Philosophical Deals with morality of human act (why an
act is moral)
 n of human being and
behavior of primitive
man
3. Sociology
 Structure of society and
attitude of social group,
family, government,
working class
4. Psychology
 Intellect and free will
5. Jurisprudence
 Knowledge origin and
interpretation of laws
6. Logic
 Correct thinking
Objects of ethics
Material object
Human act-act of a person Moral uprightness of the
with reason/using intellect act
and will
Sources of ethics
1. Human reason-primary reason
2. Experiences-contemporary and historical (past
and present events)
3. Personal experiences-own
4. Experiences of others
Q: Divine revelations (bible, church teaching a source of
ethics?
Study moral social order
of certain social groups
Direct intellect to know
and direct will to practice
moral truths
Knowledge of natural law
or moral law common to
all man
Correct doing
Formal object
A: it is uses as a check on the conclusion (what is
ethical/moral). If conclusion of ethics is contrary to
God’s revelation, the conclusion must be wrong since
God cannot contradict himself
“God is all good.”
Basis of Ethics
1. God exists
2. God is just
3. Human reason capable of discovering truth
4. Good life merits God’s reward
5. Evil life merit God’s punishment
6. Man has soul
7. Soul is immortal
8. Soul has intellect and will
9. Object of intellect is truth
10. Object of the will is goodness
11. Man’s will is free therefore capable of moral
good or moral evil
12. Good must be done; evil must be avoided
13. An act is good when in conformity with right
reason
14. An act is evil when not in conformity with right
reason.
Science of Ethics is accepted by other discipline
(Philosphy and Theology) and the following truths as
proven by Philosphy and Theology.
Ethics accepts these fundamental truths; proving them is
not the responsibility of the science of ethics but the
department of philosophy is the one responsible for
proving them.
Ex. physical sciences accepts facts established by other
sciences (ex. medicine accepts bioloy; engineering
accepts mathematics
Moral Philosophy
 Another name for ethics
 Principles of right human
conductUprightness of human conduct as
an end based on reason
Moral Theology
 Uprightness of human conduct based on
faith, reason and supernatural end
Moral Philosophy and Moral Theology related to each
other but different
Reason: Material Object-same=human act
Formal object of ethics-uprightness of conduct in
relation to man’s natural end
Formal object of moral theology=uprightness of
human act in relation to man’s supernatural end
Difference of Ethics and Law
Ethics-principles that judge the morality of human
action; obligation=conscience
Law-rule of civil conduct pronounced by authority;
obligation=penalty (fine/imprisonment)
Is the rule/ law in conformity to the goodness of human
action? What should be followed first?
Both focus on human action
Ideally, law should be founded on ethical norms. Ethical
norms should be followed first because law involves
moral duty. Is the moral duty included in the law?
Division of Ethics
Ethics has 2 major parts
1. General ethics
 Refers to all diverse ethical formulations of
general and universal concepts and
principles which serve as the foundation of
morality
 It defends and formulate a system of
fundamental ethical perceptions that tells
which acts are good and which acts are evil
 Present truth about human act and formulate
general principles of morality
Examples:
 Autonomy-man given reasoning
ability/power; free will to do good and
therefore has the power to do things
 Rights
 Justice-right to be treated equally, freely and
justly
  Confidentiality moral beliefs held by a making moral judgment
given society
2. Applied Ethics  Does not prescribe or Discover the
attempt to assess the norms/principles how to
 Intention to develop societal moral and legal moral soundness of any live/what to do in a
rights based on general worldview which are ethical system situation
in continual state of evolution
2. Normative Ethics
Examples:  Describe what are morally good and bad.
 Slavery accepted but now rejected  Seek to discover the norms that ought to
 Before women oppressed which was guide our actions/how we should conduct
acceptable but not any more our lives
 This social swing may come from Ex. bioethics, health ethics, teleological
fairness/justice, right autonomy, ethics (action is good if consequences good)
dignity of man, etc.
3. Authoritarian Ethics
 Applies principles of general ethics  Appeals to authority and force in
Ex. health ethics, apply autonomy, justice determining what is right from wrong;
good from bad; moral from immoral

Ex. Theological=Koran, bible;

Legalism-use of laws

4. Ethical Egoism
Forms of Ethical Analysis  Action is right only if it is the interest of
the doer of the act
1. Descriptive Ethics
 Objectively We study ethics by 5. Situational Ethics
present/describe the describing the kind of  Goodness of action depends on the
kind of value people values people have situation
have
 Aims to discover what Apply the principles in
  In situation/case wherein one has the
duty to perform, one should determine
what one ought to do.
Ex. telling the truth-ethical in one case
but not in another case
6. Practical Ethics
 Pertains to answering matter-of-fact
questions posed in a situation
Ex. “My mother is sick. I do not have
any money. If I have the opportunity, is
it alright to steal from my classmate?”
7. Moral Skepticism
 General name for philosophical attitude
that reject any claim to certainty of any
form of moral dogmatism or any attitude
of authoritative certainity
 Not sure if act is moral or not
 There are different moral theories,
conflicting ethical standards and
different opinions about morality of our
acts
Ex: when one judges an act unethical, it
is uncertain. It is because some other
theories contend that it is not.
8. Personal Ethics
 Tries to study how a person should act
in relation to self-duties to oneself
9. Social Ethics
 Concerns how a person should act in
relation to others
 Duty to others
 Personal Ethics and Social ethics may be
different (duty to self; duty to others
 But they are related=person’s duty to self is
understood and acceptable only if put in
social context=duty of a person to self is
duty to others
 Things we do for self-improvement in
relation to things we ought to do for
improvement of our fellowmen
10. Justice Ethics
 Determine how reasonable/justifiable
the extent of moral judgment
11. Virtue ethics
 Addresses the question of what sort of
person one should be
12. Theoretical ethics
 Aims to explain the meaning of ethical
concepts-good, right, fairness
 Study the nature of moral act
 Inquires what makes a right action right;
determine relationships between facts
and values
 This kind of ethical analysis is
considered the highest because it
analyzes then moral judgments and
assess moral theories. It is

THINKING ABOUT ETHICS.

 Aims to answer questions:
a. Is the ethical standard fair or just?
b. What does it mean when one says right
or good?
c. Why should I be moral?