Clinical ethics, or medical ethics, is a branch of moral principles that applies directly to the practice of medicine. Ethical values and judgements are not just applied to patients, but other medical staff, and can be practical as well as theoretical and philosophical. Moral values such as compassion, honesty, respect, trust and commitment all play an important part when practicing good, ethical medicine.
Many books written on health care express that there are four main principles to respect; autonomy (the rights of self-determination), non-maleficence (to first do no harm), beneficence (promote the well-being of others) and fairness. However, some of those practicing medicine have found that these principles do not always transfer across to the reality of clinical settings.
Instead, health care book Clinical Ethics: A Practical Approach to Ethical Decisions in Clinical Medicine has identified a slightly different set of four principles - medical indications, patient preferences, quality of life and contextual features - which is explained by: "Although the facts of each case differ, these four topics are always relevant."
Whichever set of morals a medical professional chooses to use, whether it is one of these two or a different set altogether, they always have to deal with the same types of ethical concerns and issues on a day-to-day basis. These clinical ethics may include confidentiality, euthanasia, conflicts of interest, informed consent, communication or cultural concerns, each of which requires the medical professional to answer them with the ultimate goal of what is best for the patient.
Of course clinical ethics is also about the medical professionals as well, not just the patient. Again, staff may have to find moral solutions and answers to such questions as when to report a colleague's error. But whatever ethical issues medical staff have to face, they must find solutions which fit in with the social, legal, economic and administrative context in which the case occurs.
Many books written on health care express that there are four main principles to respect; autonomy (the rights of self-determination), non-maleficence (to first do no harm), beneficence (promote the well-being of others) and fairness. However, some of those practicing medicine have found that these principles do not always transfer across to the reality of clinical settings.
Instead, health care book Clinical Ethics: A Practical Approach to Ethical Decisions in Clinical Medicine has identified a slightly different set of four principles - medical indications, patient preferences, quality of life and contextual features - which is explained by: "Although the facts of each case differ, these four topics are always relevant."
Whichever set of morals a medical professional chooses to use, whether it is one of these two or a different set altogether, they always have to deal with the same types of ethical concerns and issues on a day-to-day basis. These clinical ethics may include confidentiality, euthanasia, conflicts of interest, informed consent, communication or cultural concerns, each of which requires the medical professional to answer them with the ultimate goal of what is best for the patient.
Of course clinical ethics is also about the medical professionals as well, not just the patient. Again, staff may have to find moral solutions and answers to such questions as when to report a colleague's error. But whatever ethical issues medical staff have to face, they must find solutions which fit in with the social, legal, economic and administrative context in which the case occurs.
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