MORT ethics exam #4
The Golden Rule:
"DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU"
"Ought-Should" Question for Funeral Service:
"What should be done with the dead?" Burial?, Cremation?, Anatomical Donation?, ......... "What level of care should be provided for the dead?"
In general, unethical behavior in business has led to government regulations such as the_____ which allows customers to cancel a sales contract within a certain number of days.
"cooling off period"
Most funeral directors refer to their customers as _____
"families"
This type of question , asked in ethical inquiry, is usually referred to as :
"ought-should" questions
Teleological Ethics:
* A sub-category of Normative Ethics. * Maintains that the morality of an action is determined solely by its outcomes or consequences. * AKA Consequentialism
Utilitarianism:
* A subcategory of Teleological Ethics * Maintains that the morally right decision is the one that produces the most good for the largest number of people.
Deontilogical Ethics:
* Another sub-category of Normative Ethics. * Maintains that the morality of an action is determined by its motives or in accordance with some rule. * AKA Non-consequentialism
Ethical responsibilities of the employee:
* Be honest in all dealings with the employer. * Perform the duties assigned to the best of his/her ability. * Be active in learning all aspects of their job. * Follow all policies of the funeral home.
Two views on reporting unethical or illegal behavior:
* It is our ethical responsibility to report unethical or illegal behavior when we know about it. * Don't get involved
Two areas of concern for funeral service:
* Pre-need monies * Cash advances
Ethical responsibilities of the employer:
* Train employees in all aspects of their job. * Compensate them justly. * Provide a safe work environment.
Ethics:
*Concerned with the motives for and attitudes towards the conduct as well as the conduct itself. *Concerned with the interests of society AND the individual.
Topics that are generally considered necessary for inclusion in a company Code of Ethics:
*Confidentiality *Conduct with customers, suppliers, allied professionals, stockholders/partners, etc. *Commitment to excellence in service and products. *Commitment to employees. *Commitment to safety. *Responsibilities to the community. *Quality control criteria. *Commitment to the profession. *Respect for the deceased.
Developing a Code of Ethics
*Definition *Principles of a Code of Ethics *Importance *Making a Code Work *Content of a Code of Ethics
Advantages of a Code of Ethics:
*Improves the public image of your business. *Gives direction as to what actions to take in day-to-day activities as well as during a crisis. *Enhances employee pride, morale and loyalty *Encourages open and honest communications, constructive change and workplace integrity.
Factors to Consider in Ethical Business Decision Making:
*Laws *Government Regulations *Employee Needs *Consumer Needs *Social Pressure *Company's Financial Status
Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development:
*Maintains that individuals develop ethical standards of living by passing through stages of moral development during their lives. *Individuals can pass from not understanding moral reasoning at all to a point where decision-making based on moral principles becomes an integral part of the individual's life.
A funeral director's contact with a lawyer usually involves:
*Matters pertaining to the will of the deceased. *Fulfilling the funeral wishes of the deceased. *Recovering payment from the estate of the deceased.
In medical facilities our ethical and legal obligations require that we have permission from the next-of-kin to remove the deceased. Professional and ethical duties include:
*Presenting the proper authorization for the removal. *Sign any forms required by the medical facility. *Catalog and sign for personal effects. *Remove the deceased in a timely, dignified, respectful, and efficient manner. *Determine the route that is most direct and affords the most privacy when entering and leaving the medical facility.
Funeral homes have certain ethical responsibilities towards their customers. These include:
*Products must be safe and well-designed. *Merchandise should be fairly priced. *Advertising should be true, not deceptive. *Customers should be treated fairly. *Credit terms must be clear.
Observance of a High Level of Morality
*Professional conduct *Strict honesty *Just business dealings *Fair competitive practices
Advancement of the profession through:
*Suitable educational standards *Proper licensing laws *Research and scientific progress *Professional competency, dignity, and cooperation *Interchange of ideas and knowledge with colleagues
Codes of Ethics:
*Use the law as a minimal standard and usually exceed what is required by law in setting standards of ethical conduct. *Require behavior for those businesses and professions that subscribe to a Code of Ethics. *Businesses and professions that subscribe to a Code of Ethics are usually perceived by the general public as more consumer friendly.
Specifically, in funeral service, unethical behavior has led to many state laws regarding pre-need and federal laws such as the:
Federal Trade Commission Funeral Rule
Pre-Moral Stage (Level 0) :
Individual does not understand the rules or feel a sense of obligation to them. Looking to experience only that which is good or pleasant and avoid that which is painful or bad.
Laws:
Man-made rules and regulations that govern society. *Concerned with acts and conduct. *Concerned with the interests of society.
Primary and Supreme Ethic of Funeral Service:
Reverence for the Dead
Business Ethics:
That branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct as it applies to business interactions
Ethics
That branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions
Normative Ethics:
The development of moral standards of conduct.
Post-Conventional Stage (Levels 5 and 6):
The individual considers universal moral principles which supersede the authority of the group.
Pre-Conventional Stage (Levels 1 and 2):
The individual's moral reasoning is based on reward and punishment from those in authority.
Meta-Ethics:
The study and evaluation of the moral standards of conduct developed in Normative Ethics
Public Service :
The welfare of the community is always placed above that of the individual and no ethical practitioner will engage in activities that conflict with the public interest.
Relativism:
There is no one correct moral standard for all times and all people. Each group has its own morality relative to its wants, needs, culture, history, or to a change in a situation, event, or circumstance. Example #1: Killing is wrong unless it is necessary to protect your own or someone else's life. Example #2: A dead body is deserving of respectful treatment unless it was an evil person such as Hitler.
values
beliefs that are held in high esteem
Culture:
consists of abstract patterns (the rules, ideas,beliefs shared by members of society) of and for living and dying, which are learned directly or indirectly
integrity
fidelity to moral principles
honesty
having a sense of honor, upright and fair dealing
Crematories cremating multiple bodies together and co-mingling their cremains.
illegal
Improper embalming of remains causing grief to mourning families.
illegal
Preneed companies and funeral homes stealing hundreds of people's preneed funds without providing services and merchandise.
illegal
Switching caskets for less expensive ones before final disposition.
illegal
Moral maturity is achieved at _____ when the individual makes up his/her own mind about what is right and wrong.
level 6
situational ethics
moral principles that vary with circumstances
moral
refers to customs, values, and standards of practice of a group, age, or theory intended to be timeless
law
rules that govern society
motives
something, as a reason or desire, acting as a spur to action
Citizenship
the character of an individual viewed as a member of society; behavior terms of duties, obligations and functions of a citizen.
Ethnicity:
the cultural heritage or identity of a group, based on factors such as a language of country of origin
Conventional Stage (Levels 3 and 4) :
the expectations of the individual's social group (family, community, and nation) are supported and maintained.
philosophy
the set of values, ideas and opinions of an individual or group
In Indiana, the requirement is ____ CEU's every two years.
10
Most American adults function between levels:
3 to 5
Code of Ethics:
A declaration or mission statement of the professional standards of right and wrong conduct of business; an explicit statement of beliefs.
The clergy is an important group of people for the funeral director to keep on good terms with for two reasons:
1. For most people, a funeral is an important religious event. 2. Clergy are in a position to recommend a funeral director to a family.
Absolutism:
An action is right or wrong because a higher authority of some kind says it is. The determination is absolute regardless of the situation. There is no uncertainty due to changing circumstances or events. This theory is often found in religious beliefs. Example #1: Killing another person is wrong even if it was while protecting your own life or the lives of others. Example #2: Every dead body is deserving of respectful treatment, regardless of who they were.
