Introduction to nursing

ethics

Prepared by: Dr. Rabab Saleh Shaheen

 Outline

Definition of ethics, bioethics,
moral,

medical and nursing ethics.


Historical background of nursing ethics.


General characteristics of ethics.


Areas (approaches) of ethics.
 Outline

Ethics in health care system


Difference between medical and

nursing ethics


Importance of nursing ethics.
 Major definitions
⚫ Ethics is a branch of philosophy that used
to study ideal human behaviour and ideal
ways of being.

⚫ Ethics is a systematic approach to

understand, analyse and distinguish
matters of right and wrong, good and bad.
 Major definitions
 Moral ensemble of the rules governing our
actions and values and which function as
the norm in a society.
 Moral are specific beliefs, behaviors, and
ways of being derived from doing ethics.
 Moral are Actions that can be judged
as moral or immoral, but are done with a
lack of concern for good behavior.
 Major definitions
 Bioethics (Health care ethics) is the
study of ethics as it relates to health and
moral problems that arise as a result of
advances in health technologies and our
increasing abilities to do more to treat
illness and prolong life.
 Major definitions
 Nursing ethics is subdivision of
bioethics that focuses on applying ethical
principles in nursing practice.
 Medical ethics is subdivision of
bioethics that focuses applying ethical
principles in medical care.
History of Nursing Ethics
General characteristics of ethics

Refers to commitm(e5)n. t
to positive values not
negative values.

Not a personal matter

or private attitudes.

Apply real power

relation between
people.
General characteristics of ethics
A problem solving
a(5c).tivity based on
principles, knowledge,
and application.

An educational process
(can be learned).

Includes several parameters

(religious, culture,
Areas (approaches) of ethics

Meta-ethics

Normative
ethics

Applied
ethics
 Ethics in health care system
⚫ Bioethics: is the application of
ethical principles to health care.
⚫ Medical ethics: is the application of
ethical principles in medical fields.
⚫ Nursing ethics: is a system of
principles concerning the action of the
nurses in their relationship with patients,
patients’ family, other health care providers.
 Difference between medical ethics and
nursing ethics
Issue Nursing ethics Medical ethics
Concern Concerned with health Focuses on cure and healing
and care

Professional Developed as health Developed as illness oriented

approaches oriented profession that profession that gives
emphasizes emphasis to the treatment and
the prevention of disease, injury,
preservation and and deformity.
restoration of health
person
Locusof care Locus of care that help Locus of care
individual to adapt to that decrease chronicity
chronic illness and incapacity.
 Importance of nursing ethics
1-For profession
 It enhances nurses and whole staff members to
be updated with needed ethical knowledge,
skills, and performance.
 Helps in establishing good image and growth of
the profession.
 Recognize and maintains the relationship
between other professions and the society in
general.
 Guides the behaviors and provides a systematic
approach for all professional behaviors.
 Importance of nursing ethics
2. For practice
 Provides the nurse with an increased awareness
of the variety of moral positions and ethical issues.
 Provide the nurse with groundwork for a
systematic approach to ethical behavior as a
nurse.
 Increase the effectiveness of nurses as a care
givers and decision makers.
 Regulates the different roles and responsibilities of
nurse with patients, family, colleagues, and the
institution itself.
 Importance of nursing ethics
3. For education
 Provides a great commitment to all obligations of
work regarding student, content, colleagues,
and institution.
 Regulate teacher student relationship.
 Helps in developing proper curriculum for all
subjects’ matters, maintaining up-to-date
knowledge and skills, methods of teaching and
instructional materials.
 Develops the skills of critical thinking, problem
solving.
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⚫ Communicate exactly what the term
mean.
⚫ Make the concept measurable
phenomena.