First, let’s take a look at the main values and ethical principles that guide the work of doctors, nurses and other medical staff – people that take care of their patients’ health and physical well-being.
Autonomy is person’s right or capacity to make their own decisions. Respect for autonomy means respecting a person’s independence and ability to decide what should happen or be done to him/her.
It means doing good, whilst trying to balance possible benefits against risk and costs.
It means avoiding doing harm or inflicting the least harm possible to reach a beneficial outcome. This principle is inseparable from beneficence. For example, the medical specialist has to treat person’s illness while considering what are the options, possible side effects and whether or not the side effects of a particular treatment are worth the suffering.
It means treating people equally and fairly through a fair distribution of benefits, risk and costs. To understand this principle better we invite you to look at the picture below!
Equity means that people receive fair treatment that is tailored to their individual needs.
Respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice/ eqity are principles that were originally intended to serve as a framework to guide professional medical ethics. However there are many other principles and values that can be considered as equally important.
For example:
• Trustworthiness – being reliable, deserving trust
• Honesty – being honest
• Integrity – being consistent, honest and not compromising moral and ethical principles and values
• Compassion – showing concern for the misfortunes and suffering of others
• Ensuring well-being – doing your best for the patient to feel good
• Confidentiality – not sharing information that you are not authorised to share with others
• Respect for privacy, personhood and dignity