2. Ethical Theories
Philosophical Basis for Ethical Theory:
• Professional code of ethics
• Ethics theories derived from either of 2 basic schools of
thought: naturalism or rationalism
4. Ethical Requirements for the Protection of Human Participants in
Quality Improvement Activities
Requirement Explanation
Social or scientific value The gains from a QI activity should justify the resources
spent and the risks imposed on participants.
Scientific validity A QI activity should be methodologically sound
(i.e., properly structured to achieve its goals).
Fair participant selection Participants should be selected to achieve a fair
distribution of the burdens and benefits of QI.
Favourable risk–benefit A QI activity should be designed to limit risks while
ratio maximizing potential benefits and to ensure that risks to
an individual human participant are balanced by expected
benefits to the participant and to society.
5. Requirement Explanation
Respect for participants A QI activity should be designed to protect the
privacy of participants and the confidentiality of
their personal information.
Independent review Accountability for the ethical conduct of QI should
be integrated into practices that ensure
accountability for clinical care.
Each QI activity should receive the kind of ethical
review and supervision that is appropriate to its
level of potential risk and project worth
Informed consent Consent to inclusion in minimal-risk QI activities is
part of the patient’s consent to receive treatment.
Patients should be asked for informed consent to be
included in a specific QI activity if the activity
imposes more than minimal risk.
6. Ethical Principles relevant to the
project/research
Respect for persons
• People have the right to self-determination and right to full-
disclosure.
• Participants will be given the right to decide voluntarily
whether to participate in the study or not.
• Participants will be allowed to ask questions, to refuse to give
information, or to withdraw from the study.
• The nature of the study, the persons right to refuse
participation, and the likely risks and benefits that would be
incurred will be fully described.
• Confidentiality will be ensured, using number codes.
7. Beneficence
• An obligation to do no Harm and maximize benefits. Persons
are treated in ethical manner when their decisions are
respected and they protected from harm, and efforts are
made to secure their well-being.
• Participants will not be subjected to unnecessary risks of harm
or discomfort (physical, emotional, social, or financial). Study
will be terminated if any kind of harm is suspected during the
study.
8. The right to privacy
• Participants privacy will be maintained throughout the study.
• Any data provided will be kept in strictest confidence.
• Anonymity & confidentiality will be maintained.
11. Collaboration Process
• We divided this weeks presention into two parts-
Rachel worked on Ethical Theories and Flex
related ethics to our quality improvement issue.
Eva began working on the final presentation for
class tomorrow.
12. Research Methods
• Rachel: I used my Universities search engine and searched
using key words`Ethical theories´, and ethical theories in
nursing.
Notas do Editor
Burkhardt, M. A. (2008). Ethical theory. Ethics and issues in contemporary nursing. 24-51 Delmar Learning. Retrieved from http://edocs.library.curtin.edu.au/eres_display.cgi?url=dc60267151.pdf&copyright=1
Burkhardt, M. A. (2008). Ethical theory. Ethics and issues in contemporary nursing. 24-51 Delmar Learning. Retrieved from http://edocs.library.curtin.edu.au/eres_display.cgi?url=dc60267151.pdf&copyright=1
Lynn, J., Baily, M., & Bottrell, M., et al. (2007). The Ethics of Using Quality Improvement Methods in Health Care. Annals of Internal Medicine. 146(9. 666-673.
Lynn, J., Baily, M., & Bottrell, M., et al. (2007). The Ethics of Using Quality Improvement Methods in Health Care. Annals of Internal Medicine. 146(9. 666-673.
Informed concent -An ethical principle that requires a researcher to obtain the voluntary participation of subjects after informing them of the potential benefits and risks.Assent- is a term and procedure used in populations with limited cognitive ability (ie: children) and allows for providing information of the person's appropriate cognitive level.Institutional review boards -are boards that review research projects to assess that ethical standards are met. The IRB is responsible for protecting subjects from undue risk and loss of personal rights