Ethics, Professional Ethics,

1
Health Care EthicsChapter 1

• Ethics, Professional Ethics,
• Health Care Ethics

2
Ethical Theories

• Skip survey of moral theories, pp 1-7.
• Note the authors on page seven announce, near the
  bottom, that they are adopting a holistic
  approach that amounts to adding emotion and
  cultural sensitivity to the practical wisdom
  component of Virtue Ethics.
• They call their ethical position the approach of
  practical wisdom.
• Does this buffet, pick and choose approach seem
  legitimate for professional ethics? Is there a
  better alternative?

3
Key Issues (pp 8-16)

• --you may skim over these issues what are the
  authors trying to do here?
• The Dignity of Individuals sounds like what
  ethical theory?
• The Role of Society (page 9) sounds like what
  ethical theory?

4
Key Issues (cont.)

• At the top of page 11, do utilitarianism and
  deontologism really suggest if clarity is not
  possible, ethics is not possible?
• Page 12, under Society and Moral and Legal Rights
• The authors say
• a right is a moral or legal claim that an
  individual may assert against someone else,
• then mid page
• Any such claim imposes an obligation on another
  person
• Note that asserting a right or claim against
  another imposes an obligation only
• if you are correct in thinking you have a claim
  or right,
• if the person you make the claim against is
  sufficiently aware of your claim, and
• if they have no other more important obligation
  or obligations that conflict and thereby nullify
  your claim or right.

5
Key Issues (cont.)

• Note that asserting a right or claim against
  another imposes an obligation only
• if you are correct in thinking you have a claim
  or right,
• (you loaned me 5 and I agreed to pay it back
  today)
• if the person you make the claim against is
  sufficiently aware of your claim,
• (today has arrived and you remind me to pay up)
• if they have no other more important obligation
  or obligations that conflict and thereby nullify
  your claim or right.
• (no one has a much stronger claim on that 5, say)

6
Key Issues (cont.)

• Page 14, mid page
• But our very personhood does not belong to
  society, and it would be unjust for society to
  demand that we sacrifice our life or our sanity
  for the common good.
• What ethical theory is this a response to?
• Whats wrong with the response?

7
The Professions and Professional Ethics (pp 16-
end)

• Under Models of Medicine, pp 22-24
• Ethical Models
• Engineering Model
• Paternal or Priestly Model
• Collegial Model
• Contractual Model
• Covenant Model

8
The Professions and Professional Ethics (pp 16-
end)

• Ethical Models (compare pp 10-12 in
  Towsley-Cook)
• Which of the 5 are imposable on the patient?
• Which of the 5 require cooperation between doctor
  and patient?
• What are likely impediments to cooperation?
• Which of the 5 require a good impression on the
  patient by the doctor?

9
The Professions and Professional Ethics (pp 16-
end)

• The Patients Role (p 25)
• What duties does a patient have?
• The book says patients role should be a more
  active one than a sick role that respects
  equality of persons.
• Isnt the customer always right?
• Isnt the patient paying the doctor?
• Isnt the patient expected to be sick or
  out-of-sorts?
• Doesnt it seem odd to impose duties on someone
  who comes to you for help?