Step 4: Define
Guiding Principles
Clinical practice builds on a foundation of core values. Professional
standards of practice and laws related to the rights and obligations
of all involved should be factored into the problem solving process.
Many professional organizations publish standards
to help guide ethical decision making. While formal codes and policy
statements are sometimes contradictory and rarely provide a comprehensive
solution, it is critical to use them as a reference to ensure that
your decisions and actions conform to broad ethical principles.Generally
accepted principles of biomedical ethics include:
- Principle of Respect
for Autonomy: The duty to respect individual liberty,
values, beliefs & choices.
- Principle of Nonmaleficence:
The duty not to inflict harm or evil.
- Principle of Beneficence:
The duty to do good and prevent or remove harm.
- Principle of Formal
Justice: The duty to treat equals equally &
those who are unequal by their needs.
- Rule of Veracity:
The duty to tell the truth and not to decieve others.
- Rule of Fidelity:
The duty to honor commitments.
- Rule of Confidentiality:
The duty not to disclose information shared in an intimate and
trusted manner.
- Rule of Privacy:
The duty to respect limited access to a person.
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