Ethics And Social Issues In Health Care

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altruism

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Acting unselfishly or in the belief that one’s actions benefit others.

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authority-based ethics

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Theories of ethics that use faith or ideology as the focal point for making ethical decisions

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beneficence

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In ethics, to act with charity and kindness. It applies to both professionals and organizations.

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categorical imperative

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Kant’s tool for making ethical decisions. It includes the ideas of a decision being able to become a universal law and of respect for humankind. If both of these concepts apply, then the action can be truly moral.

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consequentialism

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Basing decisions about the nature of ethical decisions on their consequences and not on the intent of the agent. A part of teleological ethical theories.

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ethical analysis

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The application of ethical theory and principles to concrete clinical situations

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ethical egoism

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An ethical position that maintains that people should act only for their own self-interest or benefit. This position does not fit well in the healthcare context because healing requires putting the patient’s interests before those of the healer.

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ethical relativism

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The theory that because every situation is different, there is no appropriate ethical theory or theories. Ethical decisions would depend on the situation. Because of the nature of health care, this position is not appropriate.

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ethicist

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A professional who typically has a doctoral degree in ethics, bioethics, and sometimes theology. He or she serves as a consultant on ethical issues for a hospital or ethics committee.

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ethics toolbox

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The knowledge and application of ethical theory and principles to everyday issues in health care. If one has a full ethics toolbox, one can better choose the appropriate ethics-based action

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fiduciary relationship

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A situation in which trust must be present for an appropriate interaction to occur. An example is the physician–patient encounter.

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inerrant

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A person who is incapable of making a mistake or a thing that contains no mistakes.

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justice

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A principle of ethics that includes actions that provide fairness or that address the perception of what a person or community deserves.

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libertarianism

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The position, taken by Robert Nozick and others, that freedom or liberty is the central moral principle. Therefore, individual autonomy is critical to moral action.

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metaethics

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The study of ethical concepts and definitions. Think of this as the macro study of ethics itself

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natural law theory

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A branch of ethics based on the tradition of St. Thomas Aquinas. It uses the rationality of God and the idea of conscience to determine ethically appropriate actions.

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natural right

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Respect for attributes that contribute to a human being’s highest good and that come from nature. An example of a natural right is the right to the pursuit of happiness.

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negative right

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The right to do anything not prohibited by law. An example of a negative right is the right to assembly.

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normative ethics

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The application of ethics in determining what is right or wrong in a certain situation, such as the provision of health care.

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noumenal world

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For Kant, the world as it exists within itself and not as we interpret it

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original position

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Part of Rawls’s hypothetical model to assist in determining what is just. In this hypothetical position, all people are equal and are not aware of personal circumstances (the veil of ignorance).

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person

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An entity who can maintain social relationships with other persons. It involves a social role and not just a biological one.

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principle of double effect

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an ethical principle used when there is a conflict between the good and evil

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reflective equalibrium

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A decision-making model for dealing with ethical concerns that involves considered judgment and ethical intuition.

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rule utility

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Part of the theory of utilitarianism; the concept that the person making a decision should consider the greatest benefit (or good) for the greatest number. Rule utility can assist with policy decisions.

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self-identity

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The process of knowing who one is and of perceiving one’s uniqueness.

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substituted judgement

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A situation that occurs when a person is not competent to make healthcare decisions and has not indicated a preference for those decisions. The decision maker uses knowledge of the patient’s wishes when he or she was competent to make current decisions.

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Summa Theologica

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The title of one of the primary works of St. Thomas Aquinas, which includes his discourse on ethics

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teleology

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The collection of ethical theories based on explanations of ethics as related to a goal or result.

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utilitariianism

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Often seen as a synonym for consequentialism, this term actually means that actions are ethical when they produce the greatest happiness, or utility. The reverse is also true. Actions are good when they avoid producing the greatest harm.

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virtue ethics

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Part of authority-based ethics, theories of virtue ethics seek to determine the proper behavior for human beings. In other words, “How does an ethical person live his or her life?”