ETHICAL BEHAVIOR WHEN
COMMUNICATING WITH
PATIENTS[NOTES AND QUESTIONS]
contents
TENTS
Ethical Patient Care
A Pharmacy Code of Conduct for a Modern World
Seven Key Principles Guiding Ethical Conduct
How Pharmacists Can Resolve Ethical Dilemmas
Analyzing Patient Cases
Contemporary Topics in Pharmacy CareOVERVIEW
Overview
This chapter outlines how a changing world of health care has created ethical
dilemmas for
pharmacists and how an ethical framework is often needed to guide their behavior
when dealing with
patients.
A discussion of the American Pharmaceutical Association’s (APhA) Ethical Code
of Conduct for
Pharmacists is presented as well as an introduction to seven key ethical principles
that have great
application to the delivery of pharmaceutical care.
Further, a structured guide for moral decision making and ethical case resolution
is presented.
Illustrating the key principles discussed in this chapter, a series of case studies
and their
corresponding analyses are included to help the readers apply their skills in ethical
case resolution.
Finally, a discussion is provided regarding several contemporary topics causing
national concern and
making headlines for today’s pharmacists.
Ethical patients careICAL PATIENT CARE
Some patient cases presents decisions that must be made on the basis of legal
and
ethical principles. Your ability to choose a proper course of action in these situations
depends on your understanding of the ethical principles involved. The legal aspects
of these cases are covered under state and federal law.
However, many elements are not specifically addressed in laws and regulations
but
do involve underlying ethical principles of patient–health professional interaction.
Principles related to ethical decision making in patient care include
beneficence,
, autonomy, and honesty. This is by no means a complete list, but the
principles seem
to be most relevant to the communication responsibilities of pharmacists.
Other issues that are derived from these principles and are particularly
important in
patient counseling are informed consent, confidentiality, and
fidelity.A PHARMACY CODE OF CONDUCT FOR A MODERN WORLD
Pharmacists serve as repositories of sensitive and protected health information
about their patients. Pharmacists are also being challenged by contemporary social
issues such as being asked to dispense medications that end life, in physician-
assisted
suicide situations, or in situations that involve terminating pregnancies.
Pharmacists can be proud of the fact that the World Health Organization (WHO)
has
praised their importance as communicators and health care
givers. Thus, you must
be prepared to carefully recognize and resolve ethical issues by understanding
general and specific ethical principles and by applying these principles to
pharmaceutical care and medication therapy management.T
A PHARMACY CODE OF CONDUCT FOR A MODERN
WORLD
HARMACISTS CODE OF ETHICS
The APhA adopted a revised Code of Ethics for Pharmacists in 1994; the
American
Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) endorsed the same code in 1996.
This code was founded using a patient-centered approach and its
eight principles are
based on moral obligations and virtues intended to guide pharmacists in their
professional relationships with patients and other health care professionals (APhA,
1994).
This pharmacist-specific Code of Ethics addresses only ethical behavior
and does not
address any of the state and federal statutes and regulations governing pharmacy
practice although both state and federal statutes and regulations address how
pharmacists are to conduct themselves in relationships designed to respect and
protect the well-being of the public.THE EIGHT PRINCIPLES DESCRIBED
IN THE EIGHT PRINCIPLES DESCRIBED IN THE APHA
CODE OF ETHICS FOR PHARMACISTS ARE AS
FOLLOWS
Principle I: A pharmacist respects the covenantal relationship between the
patient and pharmacist.
Principle II: A pharmacist promotes the good of every patient in a caring,
compassionate, and
confidential manner.
COMMUNICATING WITH
PATIENTS[NOTES AND QUESTIONS]
contents
TENTS
Ethical Patient Care
A Pharmacy Code of Conduct for a Modern World
Seven Key Principles Guiding Ethical Conduct
How Pharmacists Can Resolve Ethical Dilemmas
Analyzing Patient Cases
Contemporary Topics in Pharmacy CareOVERVIEW
Overview
This chapter outlines how a changing world of health care has created ethical
dilemmas for
pharmacists and how an ethical framework is often needed to guide their behavior
when dealing with
patients.
A discussion of the American Pharmaceutical Association’s (APhA) Ethical Code
of Conduct for
Pharmacists is presented as well as an introduction to seven key ethical principles
that have great
application to the delivery of pharmaceutical care.
Further, a structured guide for moral decision making and ethical case resolution
is presented.
Illustrating the key principles discussed in this chapter, a series of case studies
and their
corresponding analyses are included to help the readers apply their skills in ethical
case resolution.
Finally, a discussion is provided regarding several contemporary topics causing
national concern and
making headlines for today’s pharmacists.
Ethical patients careICAL PATIENT CARE
Some patient cases presents decisions that must be made on the basis of legal
and
ethical principles. Your ability to choose a proper course of action in these situations
depends on your understanding of the ethical principles involved. The legal aspects
of these cases are covered under state and federal law.
However, many elements are not specifically addressed in laws and regulations
but
do involve underlying ethical principles of patient–health professional interaction.
Principles related to ethical decision making in patient care include
beneficence,
, autonomy, and honesty. This is by no means a complete list, but the
principles seem
to be most relevant to the communication responsibilities of pharmacists.
Other issues that are derived from these principles and are particularly
important in
patient counseling are informed consent, confidentiality, and
fidelity.A PHARMACY CODE OF CONDUCT FOR A MODERN WORLD
Pharmacists serve as repositories of sensitive and protected health information
about their patients. Pharmacists are also being challenged by contemporary social
issues such as being asked to dispense medications that end life, in physician-
assisted
suicide situations, or in situations that involve terminating pregnancies.
Pharmacists can be proud of the fact that the World Health Organization (WHO)
has
praised their importance as communicators and health care
givers. Thus, you must
be prepared to carefully recognize and resolve ethical issues by understanding
general and specific ethical principles and by applying these principles to
pharmaceutical care and medication therapy management.T
A PHARMACY CODE OF CONDUCT FOR A MODERN
WORLD
HARMACISTS CODE OF ETHICS
The APhA adopted a revised Code of Ethics for Pharmacists in 1994; the
American
Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) endorsed the same code in 1996.
This code was founded using a patient-centered approach and its
eight principles are
based on moral obligations and virtues intended to guide pharmacists in their
professional relationships with patients and other health care professionals (APhA,
1994).
This pharmacist-specific Code of Ethics addresses only ethical behavior
and does not
address any of the state and federal statutes and regulations governing pharmacy
practice although both state and federal statutes and regulations address how
pharmacists are to conduct themselves in relationships designed to respect and
protect the well-being of the public.THE EIGHT PRINCIPLES DESCRIBED
IN THE EIGHT PRINCIPLES DESCRIBED IN THE APHA
CODE OF ETHICS FOR PHARMACISTS ARE AS
FOLLOWS
Principle I: A pharmacist respects the covenantal relationship between the
patient and pharmacist.
Principle II: A pharmacist promotes the good of every patient in a caring,
compassionate, and
confidential manner.
