1. Ethical Boundaries
and Practices
Ethical issues and their
implications in healthcare.

2. What is ethics?
• Principles of right and wrong.
• Questions to consider:
– Who should practice ethical behavior?
– Is there such a thing as ethical behavior
among friends?
• When was the importance of ethics in
health care first recognized?

3. Hippocrates
• What do you know about
Hippocrates?
–Greek
–Physician
–Lived 2500 years ago
–Wrote Hippocratic Oath, which is still
taken by physicians today.

4. Codes of Ethics
• Professional associations write codes of
ethics.
– American Medical Association (Physicians)
– American Nurses Association (Nursing)
• Purpose: Set standards of professional
conduct that promote the welfare of
patients and assure high quality care.
• Check the web to see the professional
code of ethics for your future health
profession

5. AAMA Code of Ethics
• Render service with full respect for the
dignity of humanity.
• Respect confidential information obtained
through employment.
• Uphold the honor and high principles of
the profession.
• Seek to continually improve the knowledge
and skills of medical assistants for the
benefit of patients and colleagues.

6. Ethics and the Law
• Laws are based on ethical principles.
• Most laws enforce ethical standards.
– Confidentiality of Patient Information
• Ethical standard that has become a legal standard
• Sometimes laws are in conflict with a person’s
ethical principles.
– Abortion
• Your ethical code may prohibit; law support woman’s right to
choose
• Healthcare workers should act in the best
interest of patients and support legal standards
for patient care.

7. Ethics and the Law
• As a future healthcare professional, do you think
you will ever be put in a position where your
personal ethics are in conflict with the
requirements of your profession?
– If so, how will you manage it?
• As a healthcare professional, will you be able to
disengage your emotions when dealing with
ethical conflicts?
– Universal concerns
• Infectious Diseases such as HIV/AIDS
• Unable to separate yourself from their care as a healthcare
provider
• Legally and ethically, they must act
professionally when dealing with all patients.

8. Guiding Principles
• The upcoming slides provide
examples of ethical principles for
healthcare workers and the
corresponding laws that were created
to support them.

9. Guiding Principles
1) Preserve
life
2) Do good
3) Respect
autonomy
4) Uphold
justice
5) Be honest
6) Be discreet
7) Keep
promises
8) Do no harm

10. Healthcare Ethics: Euthanasia
• What is it?
– Results in death to alleviate suffering
or when there is no hope for
recovery.
• Many healthcare professionals feel
euthanasia is contrary to their
professional ethics.
• Regardless of their beliefs,
healthcare workers should follow
state laws.
• Oregon only state to legalize

11. Healthcare Ethics: Organ Transplants
• Organ donations come at a time
of crisis when somebody dies.
• Healthcare workers should ask
about donation.
• Illegal to transplant organs
without patient or family
permission.

12. Healthcare Ethics: Organ Transplants
• Who gets the organ?
– Handout “You be the Judge”
• Mr.N
• Ms. L
• Mr. Z
• Mrs. P

13. Healthcare Ethics: Organ Transplants
• Who gets the donated organ?
– Criteria
• Likelihood of benefit
• Urgency of need
• Change in quality of life (improved?)
• Duration of benefit

14. Healthcare Ethics: Conception
• IVF – In vitro fertilization
• Egg and sperm donation
• Surrogates
• Fertility drugs
• What are the ethical
considerations?

15. Should there be limits to IVF?
• Should obese people be
allowed to have IVF?
• Should a couple be
approved for IVF if they
both smoke?
• Should a single person
who is unemployed be a
candidate for IVF?

16. Codes of Conduct
• Ethical responsibilities include respecting
the cultural, social and ethnic differences
of patients and other healthcare workers.
• “Scope of practice” helps define the code
of conduct for healthcare workers.
• Performing skills outside the scope of
practice is illegal and unethical.
• Ethical codes of conduct are based on
moral standards and society’s
expectations.

17. Ethical Dilemmas
• Advances in health care have created
ethical dilemmas for healthcare providers.
• There are no easy answers when
addressing ethical dilemmas.
• The question is –
what is the responsibility
of healthcare providers
when addressing ethical
dilemmas?

18. Ethical Dilemmas
• Should family members be allowed to
discontinue life support?
• Do parents have a religious right to refuse
life-saving blood transfusions for their
child?
• Should people be allowed to sell organs
for use in transplant?
• Should human beings be cloned?
• What should be done with fertilized frozen
embryos when the parents no longer want

19. Ethics Committee
• Most hospitals have ethics committees
that examine ethical issues related to
patient care.
• They can advise patients, families and
healthcare providers.
• A hospital ethics committee might decide
the best action to take for a terminally ill
patient on a respirator.
• An ethics committee might also be asked
to pass judgment on the actions of a
healthcare provider.

20. Professional Practice
1. Use the approved methods when
performing procedures.
2. Obtain proper authorization before
performing any procedure.
3. Identify the patient.
4. Observe all safety precautions.

21. Professional Practice
5. Think before you speak and
carefully consider everything you
say.
6. Accept no tips or personal gifts.
7. Immediately tell your supervisor if
you make a mistake.
8. Act professionally in everything you
say and do.