Educate the Educator
Healthcare Ethics
Healthcare Ethics Module Description
• This module emphasizes the use of sound ethical practices in healthcare.
• Ethical practices and standards include the care of clients/individuals and
interactions with peers, colleagues, team members, and family members.
• Ethical frameworks are provided for discussion on understanding the types of
ethical challenges in healthcare and the difficult decisions that need to be made.
General Teaching Notes
The curriculum for this module is broken into 2 parts, Values and Ethics.
It is important to discuss with students the definition and development of values and
their own personal values.
General Teaching Notes
The following statements can help distinguish the difference between values and
ethics and provide guidance throughout the module.
• All human interactions are value-based, guide our behavior, and tell us right
from wrong.
• Values are essential to ethics. Ethics are concerned with human actions, and
the choice of those actions.
• Ethics evaluates those actions, and the values which created them. It
determines which values should be pursued, and which shouldn't.
• Ethics is a code of values.
Module Outline and Instructor Resources
This module consists of 5 competencies.
Each competency is divided into unit competencies with learning activities to help
students master the competency.
Each learning activity is explained on the Module Outline and the resources are
described
Choose the learning activities that best meet your classroom needs.
Module Outline and Instructor Resources
Find these learning activities and resources on the website or create your own.
The Course Outline also has documents that the instructor can use in teaching the
lesson.
These competencies are listed on the following slide and will then be addressed
throughout the remainder of the power point.
Module Competencies
1. Describe dimensions of values as they impact healthcare.
2. Describe basic principles of professional relationships.
3. Describe aspects of ethical decision making in health care.
4. Explain how an individual’s diversity, socioeconomic or religious beliefs could lead
to potential ethical differences from other health care employees.
5. Using an ethical decision making model applied to healthcare situations, describe
how ethics influence the care of clients.
Competency 5
Competency 5
Using an ethical decision making model applied to health care situations, describe
how ethics influence the care of clients.
Unit included for this competency include:
• Define ethical dilemmas.
• Discuss current ethical dilemmas.
• Discuss problem solving as it relates to ethical decision making.
Ethical Dilemmas Definition
Recommended Content
Ask.com defines an ethical dilemma as “a situation wherein moral precepts or
ethical obligations conflict in such a way that any possible resolution to the dilemma
is morally intolerable. In other words, an ethical dilemma is any situation in which
guiding moral principles cannot determine which course of action is right or wrong.”
Ethical Dilemmas Definition
Responsible ethical reasoning is rational and systematic; should be based on ethical
principles and codes rather than on emotions, intuition, fixed policies, or precedent.
(Precedent is an earlier similar occurrence.)
Good decision is in client’s best interest and preserves the integrity of all involved.
Ethical Dilemmas Definition
The healthcare worker must weigh competing factors when making ethical decisions
because of the ethical obligations to clients, the employing agency, and to
physicians.
Because several people are involved in ethical decision-making, communication and
compromise are important skills for all health professionals.
Integrity-preserving compromises are likely collaborative decision-making.
Current Ethical Dilemmas
Over the course of time as value and ethics have changed, society continues to be
presented with ever changing ethical dilemmas. For example, were abortions an
ethical dilemma before Roe vs. Wade? Some of the current health care ethical
dilemmas are that of end of life care , genetic testing, quality vs quantity of life, organ
donation, final trimester abortions, etc.
Current Ethical Dilemmas
Recommended Learning Activities
Assignment
Location
Notes
HCE Competency 5 Scenarios Bioethical Case Website
Studies
This learning activity contains 6 scenarios with
questions to answer regarding bioethical
issues. Topics include DNR, HIV, Labor,
Medication, Immunizations and Anorexia.
Grey’s Anatomy Ethical Dilemma
Class Discussion
YouTube
Video
Problem Solving
Recommended Content
The problem solving process can be broken down into 10 steps.
•
Identify the problem
•
Gather information
•
Identify ethical issue
•
Is there more than one problem
•
Are there competing ethical
claims?
•
•
•
•
•
Any conflict of personal
values?
Any conflict of professional
values?
Create alternative solutions
Select and act on solution
Evaluate and revise as
needed
Problem Solving
Recommended Learning Activities
Assignment
Location
Notes
HCE Competency 5: Scenarios Ethical Case
Study
Website
This learning activity contains 4 short
scenarios in which students answer
questions surrounding the scenarios.
References
College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia (CRNBC). (2011). Practice standard principles. Retrieved
from https://www.crnbc.ca/Standards/ClientRelationships/Pages/Default.asp
Hegner, B.R., Acello, B., & Caldwell, E. (2004). Nursing assistant: A nursing process approach (9th ed.).
Clifton Park, NY: Thompson Delmar Publishing
Lane, A. (2009). The importance of accountability. Retrieved from http://EzineArticles.com/3471801
References
Potter, P.A. & Perry, A.G. (2009). Ethics and values. In P.A. Potter & A.G. Perry (Eds.). Fundamentals of
nursing (7th ed.) (pp. 313-342). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier, Mosby
Ramon, P.R. & Niedringhaus, D. M. (2008). Legal and ethical issues of nursing. Fundamental nursing care
(2nd ed.) (pp. 25-44). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Person Prentice Hall
Weiss, T.C. (2009, July 21). Certified Nursing Assistant Code of Ethics. Retrieved from
http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/caregivers/cna-code-ethics.ph
Author: Dede Carr, BS, CDA, LDA
Pat Reinhart, RN
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