Law and Ethics Chapter 1
precedent
decisions made by judges in the various courts that become rule of law and apply to future cases; also known as case law
liable
legally responsible or obligated
What are two important reasons for you to study law and ethics?
Function at the highest possible professional level and help you avoid legal entanglements
One of the earliest medical codes of ethics is
Hammurabi
The five-step aid for approaching a problem using critical thinking:
Identify and clarify the problem Gathers information Evaluate the evidence Consider alternatives and implications Choose and implement the best alternative
What ethics code superseded earlier codes to become the definitive guide for a physician's professional conduct?
Percival's Medical Ethics
Knowledge of law and ethics can also help you gain perspective in the following three areas:
The rights, responsibilities, and concerns of health care consumers. The legal and ethical issues facing society patients, and health care practitioners as the world changes. The impact of rising costs on the laws and ethics of health care delivery.
summary judgment
a decision made by the court in a lawsuit in response to a motion that pleads there is no basis for a trial
federal preemption
a doctrine that can bar injured consumers from suing in state court when the products that hurt them had met federal standards
conviction of a crime
can result in loss of license
Technical skills include
computer literacy proficiency in English, science and math willingness to learn aptitude for working with hands ability to document well ability to think critically
Qualities of successful health care practitioners are
courtesy, compassion, common sense, people skills, technical skills, critical thinking skills
fraud
dishonest or deceitful practices in depriving or attempting to deprive another of their rights
moral values
one's personal concept of right and wrong, formed through the influence of the family, culture, and society
How is the enforcement of laws made possible?
penalties for disobedience, which are decided by a court of law or are mandatory as written in the law
litigious
prone to engage in lawsuits
plaintiff
the person bringing charges in a lawsuits
defendant
the person or party against whom criminal or civil charges are brought in a lawsuit
health care practitioners
those who are trained to administer medical or health care to patients
What purpose do laws serve?
to protect the public