Law and Ethics Terms and Definitions PDF

Preview

Summary

Terms with Definitions...

Description

Law and Ethics Terms and Definitions Autonomy

Independence, self-rule, self-governance, making one’s own decisions

Beneficence

Advocacy, taking positive actions to help others

Non-Maleficence

Avoiding harm where possible. If it is necessary to cause harm to achieve benefit, ensuring the benefit outweighs the harm

Justice

Fairness, equity (relating to distribution of resources).

Fidelity

Keeping promises

Veracity

Truth telling

Principles of Utilitarianism

The greatest good for the greatest number The end justifies the means

Deontology

Study of duty. Right is right and wrong is wrong.

Obligatory beneficence

The obligation of health professionals to act for the benefit of others when in a position to do so.

Specific beneficence:

Directed to specific parties such as children, friends and patients

Non-maleficence and healthcare

In essence: A person who is treated by a health practitioner should not be worse off as a result of their treatment than when they initially presented.

Doctrine of double effect

The bad effect can be foreseen, tolerated and permitted but must not be intended. For example: Termination of pregnancy if the mother has cancer of the cervix and requires life-saving treatment

Doctrine of necessity

Drs treating when they need to – For example treating an unconscious patient as they have no family or identification near them at the time

Medical futility

Health Care Professional not obliged to provide futile treatment. For example: Not For Resuscitation/Do Not Resuscitate

Burdens versus Benefits

Excessive pain, discomfort or distress of the treatment will have on the patient’s life

Quantity versus Quality of life continued

Quality of life shifts the focus on whether the treatment is beneficial to whether the patient’s life is beneficial- allows for active euthanasia.

Personhood

A rational, thinking being that considers itself as itself in time and space. Mental capacity is a fundamental element of personhood.

Morally wrong but legally right

– –

Slavery Nazi Germany

- Apartheid – South Africa - Termination of pregnancy?

Legally wrong but morally right

– –

Euthanasia? Killing one person to save four people who will die if the other person is

–

not killed? Speeding to the hospital with a person who needs urgent medical assistance

Bioethics

Is concerned with the ethical issues arising from health care, biological and medical sciences. Examples to consider: Termination of pregnancy / contraception / organ donation and transplantation / withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment

Paternalism

Behaving like a parent and forcing the citizen to behave in their best interest. For example making them wear seat belts.

Acts and Omissions

Whether an agent actively intervenes to bring about a result, or omits to act in circumstances in which it is foreseen that as a result of the omission the same result occurs....