Morality

Describes a class of rules held by society to govern the conduct of its individual members

Code of Conduct

Generally prescribes standards of conduct, states principles expressing responsibilities, and defines the rules expressing duties of professionals to whom they apply.

Moral judgment

Are those judgments concerned with what an individual or group believes to be the right or proper behavior in a given situation.

Ethical relativism

1.      holds that morality is relative to the norms of the culture in which an individual lives.

Beneficence

describes the principle of doing good, demonstrating kindness, showing compassion, and helping others.

Nonmaleficence

is an ethical principle that requires caregivers to avoid causing patients harm (to do no harm)

Justice

1.      is the obligation to be fair in the distribution of benefits and risks.

Virtue ethics

focuses on the inherent character of a person rather than on the specific actions that he or she performs

Moral value

is the relative worth placed on some virtuous behavior.

Wrongful birth action

- the plaintiffs claim that but for a breach of duty by the defendant(s) (e.g., improper sterilization), the child would not have been born.

Wrongful life claims

are initiated by the parent(s) or child based on harm suffered as a result of being born.

Ethanasia

1.      “the mercy killing of the hopelessly ill, injured, or incapacitated”

Active euthanasia

is commonly understood to be the intentional commission of an act, such as giving a pt a lethal drug that results in death

Passive euthanasia

1.      occurs when lifesaving treatment (such as respirator) is withdrawn or withheld, allowing the terminally ill pt to die a natural death.

Surrogate decision maker

1.      is an agent who acts on behalf of a pt who lacks the capacity to participate in a particular decision.

Do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders

1.      are those given by a physician indicating that in the event of a cardiac or respiratory arrest “no” resuscitative measures should be used to revive the pt.

Health care ethics committee

1.      in a hospital is an advisory body with multitidisciplinary memberships from the hospital and the community whose purpose is to facilitate the discussion an resolution of ethical issues arising in the pt care setting.

ethicist, educators, clinicians, legal advisors, and political leaders as well as members of the clergy, a quality improvement manager, and corporate leaders from the business community

Name ppl on committee

Common law

1.      refers to the body of principles that has evolved and expanded from the judicial decisions that arise during the trial of court cases… origins in English common law

Statutory law

written law emanating from federal and state legislative bodies

Administrative law

1.      the extensive body of public law issued by administrative agencies to direct the enacted laws of the federal and state governments.

Legislative Branch

1.      composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, both enacts laws that can amend or repeal existing legislation and create new legislation. (Congress)

Judicial Branch

1.      resolves disputes in accordance with the law (Supreme court)

Executive Branch

1.      administers and enforces the law (Constitution)

Tort

- is a civil wrong, other than a breach of contract, committed against a person or property (real or personal) for which a court provides a remedy in the form of an action for damages.

Negligence

is a tort, a civil or personal wrong

Malpractice

1.      is the negligence or carelessness of a professional person ( e.g., a nurse, pharmacist, physician or accountant)

Malfeasance

1.      execution of an unlawful or improper act [e.g., performing an abortion in the third trimester when is prohibited by state law]

Duty of Care

1.      legal obligation of care, performance, or observance imposed on one to safeguard the rights of others

Reasonably prudent person

1.      concept describes a nonexistent, hypothetical person who is put forward as the community ideal of what would be considered reasonable behavior

Breach of duty

1.      the second element that must be present for a plaintiff to establish negligence, is the failure to conform to or the departure from a required obligation owed to a person

Injury/Actual Damage

1.      if no injury or damage is present then there is no liability

Causation

- requires that there be a reasonable, close and causal connection or relationship between the defendant’s negligent conduct and the resulting damage suffered by the plaintiff

Assault

effectuates an infringement on the mental security or tranquility of another, deliberate threat, coupled with ability to do harm

Battery

constitutes a violation of another’s physical integrity, intentional touching

False imprisonment

1.      unlawful restraint of an individual’s personal liberty or the unlawful restraining or confining of an individual

Defamation of character

- involves communications to someone other than the persons defamed that tends to hold that person’s reputation up to scorn and ridicule

Slander

the oral form of defamation

Libel

the written form of defamation

Invasion of privacy

1.      is a wrong that invades the right of a person to personal privacy

Misdemeanor

1.      is an offense punishable by less than 1 year in the jail and/or a fine (e.g., petty larceny)

Felony

1.      much more serious crime (e.g., rape, murder) and is generally punishable by imprisonment in a state or federal penitentiary for more than 1 year.