Prototypes of Ethical Problems HESC310 4/23/2017 HLTH241 Class 3 Prototypes of Ethical Problems Slides by W. Rose, C. Polek, P. Butler, H. Brock. College of Health Sciences and College of Arts and Sciences University of Delaware Slides generally follow outline of Purtilo (2011) ch. 3. Axial Skeleton

College of Health Sciences Chapter 3 Introduction Beulah and Tiffany, OT Recognizing An Ethical Problem Prototypes of Ethical Problems: Common Features Three Prototypes of Ethical Problems College of Health Sciences

College of Health Sciences Recognition of an ethical question How do you know if the problem has an ethical component rather than, or in addition to, a clinical or legal component? Example: Can, must, should “Ethical questions focus on one’s role as a moral agent and those aspects of a situation that involve moral values, duties, and quality of life concerns in order to arrive at a caring response.” p. 50 College of Health Sciences

College of Health Sciences Common features of ethical problems Moral agent (s) Course of action An outcome College of Health Sciences

College of Health Sciences Common features of ethical problems Agent: responsible for choosing a course of action and for the outcome Moral agent: “person who acts for him or herself or in the place of another by the authority of that person and does so by conforming to a standard of right behavior” p.51 Activity: p. 51 reflection, each group oreports one example of a moral agent in a health setting and explains why that person was a moral agent in that situation Reason: obviously important Emotion: also important but not so obvious A College of Health Sciences

College of Health Sciences Common features of ethical problems Course of action includes Agent’s analysis Judgment process: choosing what to do Decision to act in accordance with the judgment Outcome We hope that the course of action leads to the outcome of a caring response As applied ethicists, should we focus more on the course of action or the outcome? Discuss. C O C or O College of Health Sciences

College of Health Sciences Three prototypes of ethical problems Moral distress: The agent cannot do what is right Cannot do what one knows is right Barriers may be external or internal What are some reasons a HCP might not be able to do what she or he “knows” is right? Can’t figure out what’s wrong (and right) Probe deeply Seek advice Check your emotions College of Health Sciences

College of Health Sciences Three prototypes of ethical problems, cont. Ethical dilemma Two or more morally correct courses of action that are mutually exclusive Common reason: multiple duties Example: Tiffany & Beulah Example: Allocating societal benefits and burdens fairly and equitably. Exercise: Describe a dilemma you might face as a HCP arising from a scarcity of resources. College of Health Sciences

College or Department name here Three prototypes of ethical problems, cont. Locus of authority problem Who should be the Agent to make a Course of action (i.e. analyze, decide, and act) and to be held accountable for the Outcome? Professional expertise Traditional arrangements Institutional arrangements and mechanisms Authority of experience Which of the above will result in a caring response for the patient?   College or Department name here