Ethical and Legal Concepts in Human Services
While ethics and law go hand in hand they both have different perspectives. Law is enforced, whether it is by the police, courts or administrators. Ethics comes from within and are inherited over time through family and the community. While both areas take a different approach, in the healthcare organizations the main purpose is to make sure that the patient safety is key and that quality of healthcare is universal.
The health care industry is one the largest regulated industries in the world, this is why laws and code of ethics have been put into place to protect the patient. Every time an organization or a healthcare professional provides services to a patient there is room for error and in return room for legal and ethical violations. Education and training in these areas for all health care personnel is pertinent since perception is a major concern. We all think and see things differently and without regulations behind us we all could look at a situation and handle it in many different ways and if that was the case then how could we hold ourselves to a high level of care if that level of care is not defined.
What is ethics? Ethics is defined as “a system of moral principles”. As a society we are held to a high standard of ethical behavior and we are held to a higher standard when it comes to our behavior in health and human services. Ethics in the medical field traces back for many years and most of the rules and regulations that we see today are based around ethical behavior. There are four key ethical principles that define what is expected of each person in and out of health and human services. These principals include; respect for persons, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice.
Respect for persons is compiled of telling the truth, confidentiality, fidelity and autonomy. Within the medical field it is important that people make informed decisions, always being honest is very important, this is where truth telling comes into place. Confidentiality is
The health care industry is one the largest regulated industries in the world, this is why laws and code of ethics have been put into place to protect the patient. Every time an organization or a healthcare professional provides services to a patient there is room for error and in return room for legal and ethical violations. Education and training in these areas for all health care personnel is pertinent since perception is a major concern. We all think and see things differently and without regulations behind us we all could look at a situation and handle it in many different ways and if that was the case then how could we hold ourselves to a high level of care if that level of care is not defined.
What is ethics? Ethics is defined as “a system of moral principles”. As a society we are held to a high standard of ethical behavior and we are held to a higher standard when it comes to our behavior in health and human services. Ethics in the medical field traces back for many years and most of the rules and regulations that we see today are based around ethical behavior. There are four key ethical principles that define what is expected of each person in and out of health and human services. These principals include; respect for persons, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice.
Respect for persons is compiled of telling the truth, confidentiality, fidelity and autonomy. Within the medical field it is important that people make informed decisions, always being honest is very important, this is where truth telling comes into place. Confidentiality is
References: Bender, Leslie. Teaching Feminist Perspective on Health Care Ethics and Law. 1992 Buchbinder, S. B. & Shanks, N. H. (2007). Introduction to health care management. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers Callahan, D. Jennings, B MD. Ethics and Public Health: Forgoing a Strong Relationship. February 2002. Vol 92. No 2 Gostin, Lawrence. Public Health Law and Ethics. 2004 Meisel, A. Snyder, L. Quill, T. Seven Legal Barriers to End of Life Care. February 2010. U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved on May 2, 2011 from www.hhs.gov