Principles of Clinical Ethics and Their Application to Practice

• Published in: Medical principles and practice Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 17 - 28
• Main Author: Varkey, Basil
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland S. Karger AG 01.02.2021
• Subjects: Beneficence; Bioethics; Clinical decision making; Confidentiality; Confidentiality - ethics; Decision making; Disclosure; Ethics, Clinical; Humans; Informed consent; Informed Consent - ethics; Morality; Morals; Negotiating; Pain; Patient-Centered Care - ethics; Patients; Personal Autonomy; Physicians; Principles; Problem Solving; Professional ethics; Professional standards; Review; Social Justice; Truth Disclosure - ethics; United States > US; Ethics; Informed consent; Autonomy; Professionalism; Confidentiality; Integrated patient care model
• ISSN: 1011-7571; 1423-0151; 1423-0151
• DOI: 10.1159/000509119

An overview of ethics and clinical ethics is presented in this review. The 4 main ethical principles, that is beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice, are defined and explained. Informed consent, truth-telling, and confidentiality spring from the principle of autonomy, and each of them is discussed. In patient care situations, not infrequently, there are conflicts between ethical principles (especially between beneficence and autonomy). A four-pronged systematic approach to ethical problem-solving and several illustrative cases of conflicts are presented. Comments following the cases highlight the ethical principles involved and clarify the resolution of these conflicts. A model for patient care, with caring as its central element, that integrates ethical aspects (intertwined with professionalism) with clinical and technical expertise desired of a physician is illustrated.