CLE 162.1 – Course I
Notetaker: Mallory McLaughlin
Date: 10/3/2012, 1st hour
Page1
Guest speaker- Ethics

Dr. Jordan Keith, O.D.

Clicker questions:
o
o
Optometry does NOT have?

Code of professional conduct

Code of ethics

Social medial guidelines

Optometric oath
Answer: Social media guidelines. But that doesn’t mean we can do whatever we want to
on Facebook or Twitter.
o
The basic principles of Biomedical Ethics DO NOT include

Justice

Non-maleficence

Utility

Beneficence

Self-reliance

Autonomy
o
Answer: Self-reliance
o
As an OD I’m required to give out any glasses or contact lens prescriptions at the end of
an exam. True or False?
o
Answer: false
o
As an OD, I am required to report all cases of abuse and neglect if suspected in my
patient. True or false?
o
Answer: False. It depends on age of the patient. Required to report for people 18 years or
younger or a person under the care of another, elderly etc.
o
If asked, I could define and give an example of a “conflict of interest”? Yes or No?
o
Answer: Yes
o
The typical practitioner will encounter and ethical dilemma

Daily

Frequently

Rarely

Never
o
Answer: frequently or daily
o
An ethical dilemma also always involved a legal dilemma. True or false?
CLE 162.1 – Course I
Notetaker: Mallory McLaughlin
Date: 10/3/2012, 1st hour
Page2
o
Answer: false. If something is an ethical dilemma, it doesn’t always have to be illegal
o
Regarding patient care, “standard of care” and “minimally required” mean the same
thing. True or false? If you get in trouble as a practitioner and go to court, they will ask
what the average optometrist would do in that case, that’s the standard of care
o

Answer: false
Ethics:
o
We should all be ethical people, we are serving the public, and we are professionals. The
public relies on us to make decisions in the best interest of the patient. We will be making
these decisions every day.
o
Definition: The rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human
actions or a particular group, culture, etc.
o
Ethics: also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses
questions about moraility- that is concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue
and vice, justice, etc.
o
What do ethics mean to you: depends on what group of people you’re looking at. Citizen,
parent, friend, doctor, student, classmate.
o
Eye doctor roles:

Take care of and improve vision and to maintain level of vision they have

Manage pain and discomfort

Manage systemic health

Limiting iatrogenic harm

Rehabilitation (if someone goes blind or can’t function the way they should
because of their vision, get them back to the quality of life that they want to be
at)

Emotional/psychological- need to be good educators but do it in a way that’s
compassionate. (what it means to give bad and good news)- “Every time a doctor
sees a patient, the patient should feel better as a result?
“We must free ourselves from the expectations of others and discover for ourselves what we are really
called to do in the world?” - Socrates
“Mature persons realized they owe the world something. Certainly the earth would be a better place if
each of us delivered a needed service to others. Service, I believe, is the arithmetic sum of knowledge
plus carin.”- Willis Hurst, MD
CLE 162.1 – Course I
Notetaker: Mallory McLaughlin
Date: 10/3/2012, 1st hour
Page3
“Ones searches for a physician with whom, above all else, is a fellow human being whose concern for
patients is actuated by the joy of serving, regarding it as an incomparable privilege.” –Bernanrd Lown,
MD
“See life as an opportunity to improve the world around you and the people around you- wanting to make
the lives of your patients, your classmates, your co-workers, and strangers better- which in turn make
your life better.”- Tim Harkins, OD

Biomedical ethics
o
Definition- Moral principles and decision in the context of medical practice, policy and
research.
o
5 major principles:

Non-maleficence- Do no harm, and avoid needless risk. Prevent iatrogenic harm.

Beneficence- Promote the welfare of your patient to the best of your ability

Utility- Greatest good with the least harm

Justice- Fairness. Treat he same issues the same way. Respect patients right and
treat every patient fairly

Autonomy- Rational individuals have the right to make their own decisions about
their own healthcare
o
AOA Code of Ethics

To keep their patients’ eye, vision, and general health paramount at all times;

To respect the rights and dignity of patients regarding their health care decisions’

To advise their patients’ whenever consultation with, or referral to antoher
optometrist or other health professional is appropriate;

To ensure confidentially and privacy of patients’ protected health and other
personal information;

To strive to ensure that all persons have access to eye, vision, and general health
care;

To advance their professional knowledge and proficiency to maintain and expand
competence to benefit their patients; (constantly bettering yourself throughout
your entire career)

To maintain their practices in accordance with professional health care standards;

To promote ethical and cordial relationship with all members of the health care
community;

To recognize their obligation to protect the health and welfare of society;
CLE 162.1 – Course I
Notetaker: Mallory McLaughlin

Date: 10/3/2012, 1st hour
Page4
To conduct themselves and exemplary citizens and professionals with honest,
integrity, fairness, kindness and compassion;
o
Optometric Oath

With full deliberation I freely and solemnly pledge that: will practice the art and
science of optometry faithfully and contentiously, and to the fullest scope of my
competence. I will uphold and honorably promote by example and action the
highest standards, ethics and ideals of my chosen profession and the honor of the
degree, Doctor of Optometry, which has been granted me.

It’s okay to tell your patient you don’t know. It’s part of your oath to
make sure you get the patient to the hands of someone who does


Promote model citizenship to everyone around you
I will provide professional care for those who seek my services, with concern,
with compassion and with due regard for their human rights and dignity


Be compassionate
I will place the treatment of those who seek my care above personal gain and
strive to see that none shall lack for proper care

Shouldn’t always be about making a profit, although you do need to
make a living and pay your employees, etc


If someone needs care, its our responsibility to give it
I will hold and privileged and inviolable and information entrusted to met in
confidence by my patients.


Inviolable- never to be broken, infringed or dishonored
I will advice my patients fully and honestly of all which may serve to restore,
maintain or enhance their vision and general health

I will strive continuously to broaden my knowledge and skills so that my
patients may benefit from all new and efficacious means to enhance the care of
human vision.

I will share information cordially and unselfishly with my fellow optometrists
and other professionals for the benefit of patients and the advancement of
human knowledge and welfare. I will do my utmost to serve my community, my
country and humankind as a citizen as well as an optometrist

As a whole, doing things that benefit society and everyone, not just
yourselves.
CLE 162.1 – Course I
Notetaker: Mallory McLaughlin

Date: 10/3/2012, 1st hour
Page5
I herby commit myself to be steadfast in the performance of this my solemn oath
and obligation.
We need to be ethical in all aspects of our lives as friends, classmates, parents, doctors, etc.
“What kind of person you want to be will influence what kind of doctor you want to be and the image you
will project to patients; your purpose and motives in doctoring will influence the kind of doctor you will
be; how you want to interact with patients will influence the kind of doctor you will be, how you speak to
them, and what you say to them; how you define the doctor’s role will influence the kind of doctor you
will be.”- Tim Harkins, OD