MODULE 1

THEORIES ON HEALTH
ETHICS

GROUP 1
 THEORIES OF HEALTH ETHICS

1 2 3 4
HUMAN VALUE
THEORIES ON HUMAN
ETHICAL DIVINE COMMAND
DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT THEORIES ETHICS

PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH ETHICS

5 6 7
VIRTUE
ETHICS
ETHICAL

PRINCIPLES
OTHER RELEVANT

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES

BIOETHICS GROUP 1
 ETHICS VS. BIOETHICS

ETHICS

ETHICS ARE MORAL PRINCIPLES THAT GOVERN A

PERSON'S BEHAVIOR OR THE CONDUCTING OF AN
ACTIVITY WHILE MORALITY DEALS WITH MORAL CODES
AND THE PRACTICE OF SPECIFIC ACTS, ETHICS NOT
ONLY TOUCHES ON ALL MORAL BEHAVIORS AND
THEORIES, BUT ALSO ON ONE’S PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE.

BIOETHICS

BIOETHICS EXPLAINS THE MORAL

PRINCIPLES OF ALL BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE
AREAS INCLUDING BIOTECHNOLOGY,
MEDICINE, POLITICS, LAW, PHILOSOPHY
ETC.

BIOETHICS
 GROWTH VS. DEVELOPMENT

GROWTH

GROWTH REFERS TO THE INCREASE IN HEIGHT,

WEIGHT, AND BODY SIZE OF A PERSON. IN BIOLOGY,
GROWTH IS CONSIDERED AS THE INCREASE IN THE
SIZE OF AN ORGAN

DEVELOPMENT

ON THE OTHER HAND, DEVELOPMENT REFERS TO

THE GROWTH PROCESS WHERE THE PERSON CAN
DEVELOP CONCERNING PHYSICAL, MENTAL,
SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, MORAL ETC. DEVELOPMENTS
DEPEND UPON BOTH HEREDITY AND THE
ENVIRONMENT.

BIOETHICS
HUMAN VALUE

DEVELOPMENT

BIOETHICS
VALUE THEORY

IS A CONCEPT CONCERNED WITH

THE VALUE OR WORTH OF
PEOPLE OR THINGS. IT IS
GENERALLY ACCEPTED THAT
VALUES ARE AT THE ROOT OF
ALL TYPES OF BEHAVIORS. IT
ASKS HOW AND WHY PEOPLE
VALUE SOMETHING, BE IT A
PERSON, IDEA, OR OBJECT.

BIOETHICS
 HOW IS VALUE DEVELOPMENT FORMED?

SOCIALISATION FROM PARENTS,

RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS,

FRIENDS, PERSONAL

EXPERIENCES, AND SOCIETY

CONTRIBUTE TO THE

FORMATION OF VALUES IN

INDIVIDUALS

BIOETHICS
 WHY DO WE HAVE DIFFERENT VALUES?

EVERYONE HAS VALUES, BUT EACH

PERSON HAS A DIFFERENT VALUE

SET. THESE DIFFERENCES ARE

AFFECTED BY AN INDIVIDUAL'S

CULTURE, LIFE EXPERIENCES, AND

A RANGE OF OTHER INFLUENCES.

OUR BELIEFS ABOUT THE WORLD

AND OUR ACTUAL EXPERIENCES

SHAPE OUR VALUES, WHICH IN

TURN FORM OUR IDENTITY.

BIOETHICS
 PERIODS OF

DEVELOPMENT

BIOETHICS
SOCIOLOGIST MORRIS MASSEY HAS

DESCRIBED THREE MAJOR PERIODS

DURING WHICH VALUES ARE

DEVELOPED.

BIOETHICS
THE IMPRINT PERIOD

UP TO THE AGE OF SEVEN, WE ARE

LIKE SPONGES, ABSORBING

EVERYTHING AROUND US AND

ACCEPTING MUCH OF IT AS TRUE,

ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES FROM

OUR PARENTS. THE CONFUSION

AND BLIND BELIEF OF THIS PERIOD

CAN ALSO LEAD TO THE EARLY

FORMATION OF TRAUMA AND OTHER

DEEP PROBLEMS

BIOETHICS
THE MODELING PERIOD

BETWEEN THE AGES OF EIGHT AND

THIRTEEN, WE COPY PEOPLE,

OFTEN OUR PARENTS, BUT ALSO

OTHERS. RATHER THAN BLIND

ACCEPTANCE OF THEIR VALUES, WE

ARE TRYING THEM ON LIKE A SUIT

OF CLOTHES, TO SEE HOW THEY

FEEL

BIOETHICS
THE SOCIALIZATION PERIOD

BETWEEN 13 AND 21, WE ARE VERY

LARGELY INFLUENCED BY OUR

PEERS. AS WE DEVELOP AS

INDIVIDUALS AND LOOK FOR WAYS

TO GET AWAY FROM THE EARLIER

PROGRAMMING, WE NATURALLY

TURN TO PEOPLE WHO SEEM MORE

LIKE US.

BIOETHICS
HUMAN VALUE DEVELOPMENT

HUMAN VALUES ARE THE VIRTUES

THAT GUIDE US TO TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT THE HUMAN ELEMENT
WHEN WE INTERACT WITH OTHER
HUMAN BEINGS.

HUMAN VALUE DEVELOPMENT

ENABLES US TO INSTILL THE
VALUES AND TO HELP A PERSON
GROW INTO A COMPLETE HUMAN
BEING

BIOETHICS
TEACHING STRATEGIES IN DEVELOPING HUMAN VALUES:

SELF-DISCOVERY

SELF DISCOVERY IS THE PROCESS OF

LEARNING MORE ABOUT YOURSELF AND
WHO YOU ARE.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

CONDUCIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

ENHANCES INTUITIVE DESIRE TO
INTERACT, CREATE, AND DISCOVER
NEW IDEAS.

BIOETHICS
 TEACHING STRATEGIES IN DEVELOPING HUMAN VALUES:

PRACTICE OF SPECIFIC SKILLS.

LEARNING A NEW SKILL OR EDUCATING

YOURSELF ON A TOPIC CAN IMPROVE YOUR
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT SKILLS.

HUMAN VALUES ARE THE FEATURES THAT GUIDE

PEOPLE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE HUMAN
ELEMENT WHEN ONE INTERACTS WITH OTHER
HUMAN.

VALUES DEVELOPED BY A FAMILY ARE THE

FOUNDATION FOR HOW CHILDREN LEARN, GROW
AND FUNCTION IN THE WORLD.

BIOETHICS
THEORIES AND THEORETICAL

MODELS OF HUMAN

DEVELOPMENT
We know what we are, but know not
what we may be.
- W. Shakespeare

BIOETHICS
 MATURATIONIST THEORY
Gesell's Maturation Theory
focused on the physical and
mental development of
children. He suggested that
children will go through the
same stages of development,
in the same sequence but
each child will go through the
stages at their own rate.

BIOETHICS
 THE CYCLICAL SPIRAL
Gesell emphasized that growth

always progresses in a pattern

through predictable stages or

sequences. Sequential

development begins within the

embryo and continues after

birth. While an individual

progresses through these stages

at his or her own pace, the

sequence remains the same.

BIOETHICS
THE CYCLICAL SPIRAL

BIOETHICS
 THE CYCLICAL SPIRAL
He suggested that patterns of

development are determined by

the individual’s heredity.

maturational approach,

development is determined

primarily by internal factors that

are controlled by genes.

BIOETHICS
 THE CYCLICAL SPIRAL
He suggested that patterns of

development are determined by

the individual’s heredity.

maturational approach,

development is determined

primarily by internal factors that

are controlled by genes.

BIOETHICS
 PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORIES
WHILE MUCH ATTENTION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE PSYCHOANALYTIC

POSITION ON ISSUES SUCH AS DETERMINISM, INSTINCTUAL DRIVES, AND THE

UNCONSCIOUS, THE EARLY WORKS OF PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORISTS,

ESPECIALLY THE FOUNDER, SIGMUND FREUD (1856–1939) HIGHLIGHTED THE

ESSENTIAL ROLE PLAYED BY EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES.

BIOETHICS
 Stage

Age

Characteristic

AN INFANT’S PRIMARY

ORAL STAGE BIRTH TO 1

INTERACTION
WITH THE

WORLD IS THROUGH THE

MOUTH.
WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF

NEW CELLS AND THE CONTROL

ANAL STAGE 1 TO 3 PROVIDED BY THOSE CELLS

( S P H I N C T E R S
) , T H E F O C U S

SHIFTS FROM ORAL

STIMULATION TO CONTROLLING

BLADDER AND BOWEL

MOVEMENTS.

AT THIS POINT IN DEVELOPMENT,

THE FOCUS OF THE ID’S

PHALLIC STAGE 3 TO 6 INSTINCTUAL ENERGIES SHIFTS TO

THE GENITALS.

BIOETHICS
 Stage

Age

Characteristic

LATENT STAGE 6 TO 11 DURING THIS STAGE,

CHILDREN DEVELOP SOCIAL

SKILLS, VALUES, AND

RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEERS

AND ADULTS OUTSIDE OF

THE FAMILY.

BIOETHICS
ERIK ERIKSON’S PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ERIK ERIKSON PRESENTED A MODEL EMPHASIZING THE CHALLENGES AND TASKS PRESENTED ACROSS

ONE’S LIFESPAN AS KEY TO UNDERSTANDING HUMAN DEVELOPMENT. FURTHER, UNLIKE FREUD,

ERICKSON EMPHASIZED DEVELOPMENT FROM WITHIN A SOCIAL CONTEXT.

BIOETHICS
ERIK ERIKSON’S PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ERICKSON POSITED THAT

HUMANS PASS THROUGH 8

STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

WITH EACH PRESENTING

THE INDIVIDUAL WITH A

UNIQUE DEVELOPMENTAL

TASK, OR WHAT HE TERMED

“CRISIS” (SEE ERIKSON’S

STAGES OF PSYCHOSOCIAL

DEVELOPMENT IN
BIOETHICS
ERIK ERIKSON’S PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

ERICKSON FELT THAT THESE

PSYCHOSOCIAL CRISES WERE

BASED ON PHYSIOLOGICAL

DEVELOPMENT INTERACTING

WITH THE DEMANDS PUT ON

THE INDIVIDUAL BY PARENTS

AND SOCIETY (ERIKSON, 1982;

STEVENS, 1983)

BIOETHICS
 Stages Life Stages & Age Meaning and Interpretation

THE INFANT WILL DEVELOP

TRUST VS. MISTRUST INFANT (0–1½) A HEALTHY BALANCE

BETWEEN TRUST AND

MISTRUST IF
CARED FOR

AND RESPONDED TO

CONSISTENTLY.

AUTONOMY MEANS SELF-

AUTONOMY VS.
TODDLER (1–3) RELIANCE OR

SHAME & DOUBT INDEPENDENCE OF

T H O U G
H T A N D

CONFIDENCE TO ACT FOR

ONESELF.

BIOETHICS
 Stages

Life Stages

& Age Meaning and Interpretation

INITIATIVE MEANS APTITUDE

INITIATIVE VS. GUILT PRESCHOOL ( 4 – 6 ) AND SELF-CONFIDENCE TO

PERFORM ACTIONS, EVEN

WITH THE UNDERSTANDING

OF RISKS AND FAILURE.

INDUSTRY MEANS HAVING

INDUSTRY VS.
SCHOOL AGE (7–12) A MEANINGFUL ACTIVITY

INFERIORITY

AND THE COMPETENCE TO

PERFORM A SKILL.

BIOETHICS
 Stages

Life Stages

& Age Meaning and Interpretation

IDENTITY MEANS UNDERSTANDING

IDENTITY VS. ROLE

ADOLESCENT
OF SELF AND HOW ONE FITS INTO

THE SURROUNDING WORLD, WHILE

CONFUSION (12–18) ROLE CONFUSION FOCUSES ON

UNDERSTAND

THE INABILITY TO
ONE’S SELF OR PERSONAL

IDENTITY.

INTIMACY MEANS DEVELOPING

RELATIONSHIPS WITH

FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND

INTIMAC

Y V S .

PARTNERS. ISOLATION

ISOLATION YOUNG ADULT (19– 40) INVOLVES FEELINGS OF BEING

EXCLUDED

FROMRELATIONSHIPS OR

PARTNERSHIP.

BIOETHICS
 Stages

Life Stages

& Age Meaning and Interpretation

GENERATIVITY MEANS

GENERATIVITY VS.
ADULTHOOD
UNCONDITIONAL CARE FOR

ONE’S OFFSPRING OR THE

STAGNATION (41–65) FUTURE GENERATIONS TO

COME, WHILE STAGNATION

REFERS TO SELF-ABSORPTION

CONCENTRATION.

INTEGRITY MEANS

UNDERSTANDING OF SELF

INTEGRITY VS.
INTEGRITY VS.
AND SATISFACTION WITH

D E S P
A I R D E S
P A I L I F E , W H I L
E D E S P A I R

CONTRIBUTES TO FEELINGS

OF WASTED TIME,

OPPORTUNITY, AND

CHANCES.
BIOETHICS
BEHAVIORISM THEORY
BEHAVIORISM FOCUSES ON THE

IDEA THAT ALL BEHAVIORS ARE

LEARNED THROUGH INTERACTION

WITH THE ENVIRONMENT. ONE

EXAMPLE IS SOCIAL COGNITIVE

THEORY IS ABOUT THE PROCESS OF

LEARNING BEHAVIORS THROUGH

OBSERVATION, MODELING AND

REPETITION FOR POSITIVE AND

NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT.
BIOETHICS
PIAGET’S THEORY OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
DESCRIBES HOW HUMANS GATHER

AND ORGANIZE INFORMATION AND

HOW THIS PROCESS CHANGES

DEVELOPMENTALLY (INHELDER &

PIAGET, 1958).

BIOETHICS
 ETHICAL THEORIES VS. BIOETHICAL THEORIES

ETHICAL

THEORIES
THERE ARE THEORIES OF ETHICS THAT

FORM THE FOUNDATION OF NORMATIVE

ETHICS CONVERSATIONS. IT IS

IMPORTANT THAT PUBLIC RELATIONS

PROFESSIONALS ALSO UNDERSTAND HOW

TO APPLY THESE CONCEPTS TO THE

ACTUAL PRACTICE OF THE PROFESSION.

 ETHICAL THEORIES VS. BIOETHICAL THEORIES

BIOETHICAL
THEORIES
A THEORY OF BIOETHICS FEATURES
SUBSTANTIVE NORMS, OR ACTION-GUIDES,
SUCH AS “RESPECT THE INFORMED,
VOLUNTARY CHOICES OF AUTONOMOUS
DECISION-MAKERS” AND “DO NOT DECEIVE
PATIENTS OR PROSPECTIVE RESEARCH
PARTICIPANTS.” THESE NORMS HAVE
ETHICAL CONTENT.
ETHICAL THEORIES
CONSEQUENTIALISM

CONSEQUENTIALISM IS A THEORY THAT SAYS WHETHER SOMETHING IS GOOD

OR BAD DEPENDS ON ITS OUTCOMES. AN ACTION THAT BRINGS ABOUT MORE
BENEFIT THAN HARM IS GOOD, WHILE AN ACTION THAT CAUSES MORE HARM
THAN BENEFIT IS NOT. THE MOST FAMOUS VERSION OF THIS THEORY IS
UTILITARIANISM.

UTILITARIANISM IS A THEORY OF MORALITY, WHICH ADVOCATES

ACTIONS THAT FOSTER HAPPINESS AND OPPOSE ACTIONS THAT
CAUSE UNHAPPINESS. UTILITARIANISM PROMOTES “THE
GREATEST AMOUNT OF GOOD FOR THE GREATEST NUMBER OF
PEOPLE.”
EXAMPLES:
LET US IMAGINE WE HAVE FIVE PATIENTS WHO REQUIRE ORGAN TRANSPLANTS.
ON THE NEXT WARD IS PATIENT A WHO HAS A CURABLE DISEASE AND ALSO IS A
SUITABLE DONOR FOR THE OTHER PATIENTS. UTILITARIANISM WOULD PERMIT A
DOCTOR TO ALLOW PATIENT A TO DIE AND FOR THEIR ORGANS TO BE USED TO SAVE
THE LIVES OF THE OTHER FIVE PATIENTS.
WHEN FACED WITH MULTIPLE SIMULTANEOUS PATIENTS IN THE EMERGENCY
DEPARTMENT IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A WAY OF REACHING A DECISION QUICKLY
ABOUT WHICH PATIENT TO ATTEND TO FIRST. TRIAGE RULES ARE POTENTIALLY
JUSTIFIED BY A FORM OF RULE UTILITARIANISM THAT ENABLES RAPID INTUITIVE
DECISIONS.
CONSEQUENTIALISM MIGHT BE USED TO FRAME MORAL AWARENESS AND
DECISION-MAKING IN NURSING. A PATIENT ON AN INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC UNIT
RECEIVES BAD NEWS OVER THE PHONE. THE PATIENT BEGINS BEATING HIS HEAD
AGAINST THE WALL.
UTILITARIANISM SAYS THE BEST ACTION IS THAT ONE THAT BRINGS ABOUT THE BEST
INCREASE IN UTILITY (BENEFIT). UTILITY IS GENERALLY CONSIDERED ON A BROAD
SCALE, OFTEN TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WIDER SOCIETY AND NOT JUST THE
PATIENT IN QUESTION.
ETHICAL THEORIES
DEONTOLOGY

IN MORAL PHILOSOPHY, DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICS OR DEONTOLOGY IS THE NORMATIVE

ETHICAL THEORY THAT THE MORALITY OF AN ACTION SHOULD BE BASED ON WHETHER
THAT ACTION ITSELF IS RIGHT OR WRONG UNDER A SERIES OF RULES, RATHER THAN
BASED ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE ACTION. IT AIMS TO RESPECT DIGNITY AND
AUTONOMY AND MOST IMPORTANT RESPECT THE UNIVERSAL MORALS (CAN’T KILL,
STEAL, OR LIE; NOT EVEN TO SAVE A LIFE).

PROS
PROVIDES RULES AND CONCRETE GUIDANCE
WE SHOULD ALWAYS PERFORM OUR DUTY
A WAY TO DETERMINE THE UNIVERSAL MORAL LAW
CONS
COMPLETELY IGNORES THE CONSEQUENCES OF A RULE.
EXAMPLES:
DEONTOLOGICAL VALUES—E.G., TREATING PATIENTS AS ENDS IN
THEMSELVES—WILL HELP OBVIATE POTENTIAL MALEFICENCE AND POTENTIATE
BENEFICENCE, JUSTICE, AND AUTONOMY. FURTHERMORE, APPLYING THESE
PRINCIPLES WILL BOLSTER INTERPROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS, AS WELL.

TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT THE PATIENT’S DIAGNOSIS.

FOR EXAMPLE, CANCER PATIENTS ARE QUITE OFTEN ADVISED TO UNDERGO

A COURSE OF CHEMOTHERAPY OR RADIOTHERAPY. BOTH TREATMENTS INVOLVE
SOME HARMFUL SIDE EFFECTS, BUT THE BENEFITS SHOULD OUTWEIGH THE
HARM CAUSED BY THE TREATMENT.
 IMMANUEL KANT'S DEONTOLOGY TELLS US THAT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO ACT IN A
WAY WE BELIEVE IS ETHICALLY WRONG BECAUSE THE OUTCOME WILL BE GOOD. HE
ARGUES THAT THE HUMAN UNDERSTANDING IS THE SOURCE OF THE GENERAL LAWS OF
NATURE THAT STRUCTURE ALL OUR EXPERIENCE; AND THAT HUMAN REASON GIVES
ITSELF THE MORAL LAW, WHICH IS OUR BASIS FOR BELIEF IN GOD, FREEDOM, AND
IMMORTALITY.
The belief that what's moral and what's immoral
- is commanded by the divine

DIVINE

COMMAND

ETHICS
BIOETHICS
WHAT IS DIVINE COMMAND THEORY
THE THEORY HOLDS THAT MORALITY

ISINDEPENDENT OF WHAT ANYINDIVIDUAL

THINKS OR LIKES ANDWHAT ANY SOCIETY

HAPPENS TOSANCTION.GOD ESTABLISHES

MORALLAWS; THEY ARE UNIVERSALLY

BINDINGFOR ALL PEOPLE AND ARE

ETERNALLYTRUE.

BIOETHICS
WHAT IS DIVINE COMMAND THEORY
WHATEVER THE SITUATION, IF WE DO WHAT GOD

WILLS, THEN WE DOTHE RIGHT THING; IF WE DO NOT

DO WHAT GOD WILLS, THEN, NO MATTERWHAT THE

CONSEQUENCES, WE DOWRONG.

PHILOSOPHERS CALLED IT THE “THE DIVINE COMMAND

THEORY” - THE BELIEF THAT WHAT’S MORAL, AND

WHAT’S IMMORAL – IS COMMANDED BY THE DIVINE.

WE NOTICED THAT EVER SINCE THERE ARE A LOT

BIOETHICS
WHAT IS DIVINE COMMAND THEORY
SUCH GOD-ESTABLISHEDLAWS ARE

GENERALLYINTERPRETED IN A RELIGIOUSTRADITION

AND ARE OFTENEXPRESSED IN THATRELIGION’S

SACREDSCRIPTURES.

"DRINK YOUR WINE WITH A MERRY HEART"

- ECCLEASIASTES 9:7

IT ALSO SOLVES THE GROUNDING PROBLEM EVERY

ETHICAL SYSTEM NEEDS SOME KIND OF FOUNDATION,

AND WITH THE DIVINE COMMAND THEORY, IT'S GOOD

BIOETHICS
ETHICAL DELIMMA
WHAT IS A DILEMMA?
A SITUATION IN WHICH YOU ARE FORCED TO CHOOSE

BETWEEN TWO OPTION, BOTH OF WHICH LEAD TO

UNPLEASANT RESULTS

- AN ETHICAL DILEMMA IN NURSING IS A SITUATION

WHERE A NURSE MUST DECIDE BETWEEN COMPETING

VALUES AND KNOW THAT NO MATTER WHAT CHOICE

THEY MAKE, THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES. ETHICAL

DILEMMAS MAY CONFLICT WITH THE NURSE'S

PERSONAL VALUES OR WITH THE CODE OF ETHICS

FOR NURSES.

BIOETHICS
EXAMPLE: PRO-LIVE VS PRO-CHOICE
SAMANTHA IS A 28-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE STUDENT WHO IS

EIGHTEEN WEEKS PREGNANT. SHE HAS A HISTORY OF CARDIAC

DISEASE THAT HAS WORSENED BECAUSE OF THE PREGNANCY.

SAMANTHA'S DOCTOR IS CONCERNED THAT CONTINUING THE

PREGNANCY CAN CAUSE HER HEART CONDITION TO WORSEN AND

COULD RESULT IN A LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCY. HE HAS

RECOMMENDED TERMINATION OF THE PREGNANCY WITHIN THE

NEXT TWO WEEKS. SAMANTHA IS RELUCTANT, STATING THAT,

ALTHOUGH SHE DOES NOT CURRENTLY GO TO CHURCH, SHE WAS

RAISED TO BELIEVE ABORTION IS WRONG AND BELIEVES GOD

WILL HEAL HER. SHE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT THE NURSE WOULD

DO IN HER POSITION. NURSE JENNIFER DOES NOT BELIEVE IN

ABORTION UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE.

BIOETHICS
EXAMPLE : PARENT REFUSES TO VACCINATE CHILD
SCENARIO:
MR.FERNANDEZ IS THE FATHER AND SOLE-GUARDIAN OF FIVE-

YEAR-OLD TWINS WHO ARE PREPARING TO START

KINDERGARTEN. MR. FERNANDEZ NEVER HAD HIS CHILDREN

VACCINATED AND STATES FORCING HIM TO HAVE HIS CHILDREN

VACCINATED IS A VIOLATION OF HIS AND HIS CHILDREN'S

RIGHTS.

ETHICAL DILEMMA: IN THE INTEREST OF PROTECTING THE

HEALTH OF POPULATIONS AND COMMUNITIES, THE HEALTHCARE

INDUSTRY ADVOCATES FOR VACCINATION AGAINST PREVENTABLE

DISEASES. NURSES MAY FEEL CAUGHT BETWEEN BEING

PROACTIVE ABOUT VACCINES AND THE PATIENT'S OR GUARDIAN'S

RIGHT TO CHOOSE WHICH TREATMENT TO ACCEPT.

BIOETHICS
PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH ETHICS

BIOETHICS
PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH ETHICS
VIRTUE ETHICS
VIRTUE ETHICS IS AGENT-CENTERED, MEANING THAT GOODNESS IS NOT IN THE ACT BUT IN THE PERSON –

WE JUDGE THE AGENT WHETHER BY HABIT BY CHARACTER HE IS A GOOF OR VIRTUOUS PERSON.

WE SHOULD ALWAYS ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VIRTUES OR AS TRULY VIRTUOUS PERSON WOULD.

IMPORTANT POINTS:
1. MORALITY ISN’T ABOUT SIMPLY FOLLOWING A SETS OF PRINCIPLES. WE MUST STRIVE TO DEVELOP OUR

MORAL CHARACTER AND BECOME THE BEST PERSON WE CAN BE. WHEN WE EMBODY THE VIRTUES WE

WILL HAVE THE PROPER DISPOSITIONS TO ACT ACCORDINGLY.

MORALITY ISN’T ABOUT SIMPLY FOLLOWING A SETS OF PRINCIPLES.

BIOETHICS
PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH ETHICS

2. THERE IS DISAGREEMENT OVER WHAT THE VIRTUES ARE, BUT SOME COMMON

EXAMPLES ARE BENEVOLENCE, HONESTY, LOYALTY, COMPASSION, FAIRNESS, ETC.

3. OUR MOTIVATIONS MATTER. WE SHOULD PERFORM A MORALLY RIGHT ACT, NOT

JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE A DUTY TO DO RIGHT, BUT BECAUSE WE ARE MOTIVATED

BY VIRTUOUS FEELINGS.
YOU NEED TO PERFORM AN ACTION MOTIVATED WITH VIRTUOUS FEELINGS AND

NOT LIKE DEONTOLOGY JUST FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES BECAUSE YOU KNOW IT IS

MORALLY RIGHT AND IT JUST YOUR DUTY.

BIOETHICS
PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH ETHICS
VIRTUE ETHICS EXAMPLES

1.IS ABORTION PERMISSIBLE? DEPENDS ON THE REASON FOR WANTING THE

ABORTION.
AFRAID OF BEING A PARENT? ACTING FROM THE VICE OF COWARDICE
SHE WANTS THE CHILD BUT KNOWS IT WILL HAVE A GENETIC DEFECT WHICH

GREATLY HAMPERS ITS QUALITY LIFE? ACTING FROM THE VIRTUES OF COMPASSION

AND COURAGE

2. ARE YOU OBLIGATED TO DONATE BLOOD?

·THE TRULY VIRTUOUS PERSON WOULD LIKELY DONATE BLOOD BECAUSE THEY ARE

MOTIVATED BY THE FEELINGS OF COMPASSION, BENEVOLENCE AND FAIRNESS.

BIOETHICS
PRINCIPLES

OF ETHICS

BIOETHICS
 PRINCIPLES OF ETHICS
WHAT IS PRINCIPLE OF ETHICS?
ETHICAL PRINCIPLES ARE PART OF A NORMATIVE THEORY THAT JUSTIFIES OR DEFENDS MORAL RULES

AND/OR MORAL JUDGMENTS; THEY ARE NOT DEPENDENT ON ONE'S SUBJECTIVE VIEWPOINTS.
ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
1. AUTONOMY
- FREEDOM TO MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS
WITHOUT EXTERNAL INFLUENCE
EXAMPLES:
REFUSING TO A CESARIAN SECTION
2. BENEFICENCE
- DOING WHAT'S IN THE PATIENT'S BEST INTEREST
EXAMPLES:
PERFORMING A SURGERY TO A CRITICAL
PATIENT EVEN WITHOUT HIS CONSENT
TREATING THE PATIENT WITH MEDICATION OR
SURGERY
3. NON MALEFICENCE
- "DO NO HARM" OR "DO GOOD" WEIGHING BENEFITS
VS. RISKS.
EXAMPLES:
STOPPING A MEDICATION KNOWN TO BE
HARMFUL
REFUSING TO GIVE A MEDICATION TO A
PATIENT IF IT IS NOT PROVEN TO BE
EFFECTIVE.
A NURSE PERFORMED MULTIPLE CHECKS
BEFORE ADMINISTERING MEDICATION TO
AVOID A DANGEROUS MEDICATION ERROR

BIOETHICS
PRINCIPLES OF ETHICS
ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
4. JUSTICE
-TREATING PATIENTS EQUITABLY AND FAIRLY

EXAMPLES:
IN AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, A PATIENT WITH LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS CAN BE TREATED FIRST
THAN THE PATIENT WITH SIMPLE TRAUMA

OTHER RELEVANT ETHIC PRINCIPLES

1. FIDELITY (KEEPING PROMISES) REFERS TO THE AGREEMENT TO KEEP PROMISES

EXAMPLE
: AN OLDER PATIENT WITH INTACT COGNITIVE FUNCTION IS DIAGNOSED WITH A
TERMINAL ILLNESS AND HE OR SHE DOESN'T WANT TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH
IMMEDIATE FAMILY. REFERS TO THE AGREEMENT TO KEEP PROMISES

BIOETHICS
OTHER RELEVANT ETHIC PRINCIPLES
2. VERACITY (TELLING TRUTH) - IT IS BEING HONEST AND TELLING THE TRUTH AND IS
RELATED TO THE PRINCIPLES OF AUTONOMY.

EXAMPLE:
A PATIENT WAS STARTING CHEMOTHERAPY AND ASKED ABOUT THE SIDE EFFECTS, A
NURSE PRACTICING VERACITY WOULD BE HONEST ABOUT THE SIDE EFFECTS THEY COULD
EXPECT WITH CHEMOTHERAPY.

3. CONFIDENTIALITY - THE PRINCIPLE OF KEEPING SECURE AND SECRET FROM OTHERS,

INFORMATION GIVEN BY OR ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE COURSE OF A PROFESSIONAL
RELATIONSHIP, AND IT IS THE RIGHT OF EVERY PATIENT, EVEN AFTER DEATH.

EXAMPLE:
THE NURSE IS SHARING THE PERSONAL INFORMATIONS AND DIAGNOSIS OF THE PATIENT
TO HER FRIENDS.
BIOETHICS