ETHICS

• A branch of philosophy that seeks to determine how human actions may be judged
right or wrong.
• A philosophical study of morality
• Comes from the Greek word Ethika, which is an adjective that itself derives from
ethos, the Greek word for character
• Is Greek for customs
• Refers to the study of those.

For Aristotle, character is of central importance to ethics, and one cannot have a good
character without having formed good ethoi or habits.

ETHICS

• May be perceived as a set of analytical tools or a process that helps to identify right
conduct and determine appropriate behavior
• A method of inquiry that helps people to understand the morality of human
behavior
• The practices or beliefs of a certain group
• The expected standards of moral behavior of a particular group

MORALS

• May be perceived as prescriptions or rules to guide our actions and behavior

• Relating to character or conduct considered as good or evil

MORALITY

• Comes from mores, which is Latin for customs.

• Refers to human conduct and values.
• Quality of being moral; the practice of moral duties apart from religion
• Refers to private, personal standards of what is right and wrong conduct, character
and attitude
Distinguish Morality and Law

• Law reflects moral values of society

• An action can be Legal but not Moral

Distinguish Morality and Religion

• Some religions have differences in moral perspective in relation to health

Moral Development

• The process of learning to tell the difference between right and wrong
• Begins from childhood & continues throughout life

BIOLOGY

• a branch of knowledge that deals with living organisms and vital processes.

BIOETHICS

• “Bioethics” emerged between 1960s to 1970s

• The word was coined in 1970 by oncologist Van Potter
• A discipline dealing with the ethical implications of biological research and
applications especially in medicine
• Ethics as applied-to human life or health
• Refers to the moral, social & political problems that arise from biology & the life
sciences generally that involve, directly or indirectly, human wellbeing.

HEALTHCARE ETHICS

• The field of applied ethics that is concerned with the vast array of moral decision-
making situations that arise in the practice of medicine in addition to the
procedures and the policies that are designed to guide such practice.
• Health care ethics (a.k.a “medical ethics”)
• Application of the core principles of bioethics (autonomy, beneficence,
nonmaleficence, justice) to medical and health care decisions.
4 Moral Principles

• Autonomy
• Veracity
• Nonmaleficence
• Beneficence

Bioethics and Health Ethics are viewed as synonymous, health ethics is more limited as it
confines itself to the moral behavior in relation to health.

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

• Division of ethics that relates to professional behavior.

• Moral science that deals with the obligation of a professional towards his
profession, the public, and to his client.

VALUES

• Enduring beliefs or attitudes about the worth of a person, object, idea or action.
• It influence decisions & actions
• Belief and attitude are related but not identical

VALUE TRANSMISSION

• Values are learned through observation & experience

• Influenced by sociocultural environment
o Societal traditions
o Culture
o Ethnic & religious groups
o Family and peers

PERSONAL VALUE

• Internalization of accumulative values derived from society and environment

• A sense of individuality
PROFESSIONAL VALUES

• Values acquired during socialization into nursing. From code of ethics, nursing
experiences, teachers and peers.

VALUES CLARIFICATION

• A process by which people identify, examine, and develop their own individual
values
• Promotes personal growth by fostering awareness, empathy, and insight
• Useful in helping individuals to become more aware of their own values and how
they may influence their actions

CLARIFYING THE NURSE’S VALUE

• Fundamental professional nursing values of human dignity, equality, and

prevention of suffering have not varied over time or across groups
• Nurses need to identify clients’ values as they influence and relate to a particular
health problem
o For a more effective client-centered care
• Nurse should never assume client’s particular values & should discuss these

Process To Help Client Clarify Their Values:

1. List of Alternatives – Client is aware of alternative actions

2. Examine Possible Consequences of Choices – Making sure client understands
the results of each actions
3. Choose Freely – Ensure wise decision without external influence
4. Feeling about the Choice – Verify effects of decision on client’s feelings
5. Affirm the Choice – Verify how client discuss decision to others
6. Act with a Pattern – Determine the client’s consistency of behavior

ETHICAL THEORIES/MORAL FRAMEWORKS

• Moral theories provide frameworks

 • Nurses can use moral theories in explaining ethical decisions and discussions of
problematic situations

MORAL FRAMEWORKS

• Three Types of Moral Theories

a. Consequences
b. Principles & Duties
c. Relationships

CONSEQUENCES – BASED THEORIES

• TELEOLOGICAL Theories
• Hold only the consequences of actions matter morally
• Focused on outcomes of an action in judging if it’s right or wrong

UTILITARIANISM

• Actions are morally right if and only they maximize the good (or, alternatively
minimizes the bad).

PRINCIPLES – BASED THEORIES

• DEONTOLOGICAL theories
• Logical and formal process & emphasize individual rights, duties & obligations
• Uses rules to distinguish right or wrong
o 10 Commandments

Kant’s Theory

• Requires people to follow rules & do their duty

RELATIONSHIP – BASED THEORIES

• CARING theories
• It stresses courage, generosity, commitment & the need to nurture and maintain
relationships
• Judges actions according to a perspective of caring and responsibility
• Promote common good or welfare of the group

CONTRACTARIAN ETHICS

• People are primarily self-interested, and that a rational assessment of the best
strategy for attaining the maximization of their self-interest will lead them to act
morally (where the moral norms are determined by the maximization of joint
interest) and to consent to governmental authority.
• Moral norms derive their normative force from the idea of contract or mutual
agreement.
• Right acts are those that do not violate the free, rational agreements that people
made.

We each are motivated to accept morality “first because we are vulnerable to the
depredations of others, and second because we can all benefit from cooperation with
others” (Narveson 1988).

SITUATION ETHICS

• Moral judgments must be made within the context of the entirety of a situation
and that all normative features of a situation must be viewed as a whole.
• Objects to both moral absolutism (the view that there are fixed universal moral
principles that have binding authority in all circumstances) and moral relativism

ETHICAL EGOISM

• An action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favorable
than unfavorable only to the agent performing the action. (Henk ten, 2016)
• Claims that each person has but one ultimate aim: his/her own welfare.
ABSOLUTISM

• Acceptance of a conduct code based on absolute, indisputable rights and

duties (springer, 2016)
o Moral commands are true at all times
o True in all cultures and situations
• Deontological (Kant’s Categorical Imperative and the Divine Command Theory)
o Do not consider consequences

ETHICAL RELATIVISM

• Views moral values as entirely relative to different societies and contexts

Teleological (Utilitarianism and Situation Ethics)

• May consider the consequences of moral actions when deciding if they are right
or wrong.

VIRTUE ETHICS

• An approach that focuses on character that a person of good character will tend to
behave in ways that are consistent with their character.

VIRTUE ETHICS in NURSING

• Concerned with the character of individual nurses and seeks ways to enable
nurses to develop character traits appropriate for actions that enhance wellbeing.

5 Essential Professional Nursing Values

1. Altruism – Concern for the welfare & well-being of others

2. Autonomy – Right to self-determination. Respect patients’ rights
3. Human Dignity – Respect for inherent worth & uniqueness of others
4. Integrity - Honesty as reflected in the code of ethics & accepted standards
5. Social Justice – Acting in accordance with fair treatment regardless of status,
socio-cultural, gender differences