(HED) Healthcare Ethics and Diversity Module Overview

Healthcare Ethics and Diversity

Photo of a healthcare workerIntroduction

We have spent a lot of time discussing the skills and the education associated with preparing for the world of work. But there is one essential part that we have yet to address, the Attitude, Feelings, and Beliefs of the individual. You may ask, what does it matter what I believe or how I feel personally? The AFB defines how you respond to situations and is interpreted as your work ethic. Work ethic is interpreted through body language, written/verbal communication, punctuality, attire, and most importantly moral judgment about right and wrong. Medical ethics are often a point of personal and legal debate when considering end-of-life care and abortion.

We will explore the impact of ethics and diversity on the healthcare work environment. This includes an examination of personal ethics, professional ethics, and their application to the work environment.

Essential Questions

  1. How does cultural diversity impact healthcare beliefs?
  2. How do personal and professional ethics compare? How do they differ?
  3. What ethical dilemmas can occur in healthcare?
  4. What actions could be taken to ensure respectful and empathetic treatment of ALL healthcare customers, i.e., patients, family, and visitors?

Module Minute

Icon of a clock face with the words The Module MinuteHealthcare beliefs originate from an individual's culture and belief in the origin of disease. The U. S. health system is based on the biomedical concept linking the cause of disease to microorganisms, diseased cells, and the aging process. Individuals not from this belief system may identify the cause as supernatural elements, spiritual punishment for sins, or even an internal imbalance. These beliefs can affect how an individual responds to medical care or compliance with the prescribed regimen. Healthcare professionals are required to respect the patient's rights and remain ethically responsible. Personal beliefs conflict with institutional expectations but individuals are required to adhere to the standards of professional ethics. Those standards include maintaining a professional image through integrity, honesty, accountability, punctuality, time management, and respect for diversity. Common ethical dilemmas include assisted death, abortion, cloning, and many others are explored.

Keywords

Please review the following terms.

  • Diversity - state of variety
  • Initiative - the ability to assess and initiate things independently
  • Honesty - the quality of being truthful and honest
  • Dependability -trustworthy and reliable
  • Reliability - consistently good in quality or performance; able to be trusted
  • Loyalty - the state or quality of being loyal to someone or something
  • Culture - the ideas, customs, and social behavior of a particular people or society
  • Ethnicity - the fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition
  • Bias - inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair
  • Prejudice - preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience
  • Scope of Practice - Practice guidelines that define procedures, actions, and processes that are permitted for the licensed individual to perform 

 

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