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Components of Ethics for Healthcare Professionals: Summary
DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS AND PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY
• Preventing negligence: The principle of nonmaleficence is closely tied to the concept of negligence in healthcare practice. Negligence occurs when a healthcare provider fails to use due care to protect a client from harm. Malpractice suits are most often based on acts of negligence. This negligence may be either intentional (when a person knowingly fails to use due care) or unintentional (when a person carelessly or inadvertently imposes harm). • Protecting and being mindful of vulnerable populations LEARNING TIP!
The healthcare field recognizes several levels of disciplinary actions that may be taken when ethical violations occur. Nondisciplinary actions serve as initial interventions and include verbal warnings, written warnings, and advisory opinions. These are typically used for minor infractions or first-time occurrences where education and guidance may be sufficient to correct the behavior. More serious violations may warrant formal disciplinary actions, which include reprimands; censures; probation; suspension; and in the most severe cases, revocation of credentials or licenses. LEARNING TIP!
Note: Scenarios that involve difficult end- of-life care decisions such as withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treating, medically administered nutrition and hydration and in pain and other symptom control often involve complex decision making around beneficence and nonmaleficence.
A reprimand represents a formal written communication indicating disapproval of conduct, while censure takes this a step further by making the disapproval public. Censures identify the person’s name and are usually correlated to which ethical principles were not upheld. This is a formal written communication, and it is communicated publicly.
3. Autonomy Patient autonomy emphasizes the right to make in- formed healthcare decisions, including: ○ Informed consent processes: The patient has the right to informed consent, which is a necessary part of the process that leads to the patient agreeing to accept services ○ Right to refuse treatment: Autonomy is often referred to as the self-determination ethical principle. This principle emphasizes the importance of patient consent, confidentiality, and the right to refuse treatment ○ Privacy protection ○ Confidentiality maintenance: Confi-dentiality refers to the duty of healthcare providers to safeguard the privacy and confidentiality of patient information, ensuring that sensitive medical and personal details are not disclosed without the patient’s consent or unless required by law. This includes protecting patient records, maintaining confidentiality in communications, and disclosing patient information only with appropriate consent or when required by law ○ Self-determination respect 4. Justice The principle of justice ensures fair and equitable treat- ment through:
Probation involves placing specific conditions on continued practice for a defined period, often requiring the practitioner to demonstrate compliance with certain requirements or to complete additional training. Suspension temporarily removes the practitioner's right to practice, while revocation permanently terminates their credentials or license. PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENTATION AND RECORD-KEEPING Proper documentation serves as a cornerstone of ethical practice in healthcare. Healthcare professionals must maintain accurate, timely, and complete records that reflect all aspects of patient care. This includes detailed treatment plans, progress notes, assessment results, and any relevant correspondence. The documentation must be sufficient to allow another qualified professional to understand the nature and course of treatment provided. In writing up the results of a patient assessment that will be submitted for reimbursement, it is important for the practitioner to ensure that documentation is in accordance with applicable laws. In today's digital age, special consideration must be given to the security and confidentiality of electronic health records, with practitioners needing to implement appropriate safeguards to protect patient information.
○ Nondiscriminatory practices ○ Resource allocation fairness ○ Cultural competence ○ Access to services ○ Professional standards adherence
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