Ethical Decision-Making in Healthcare

Course overview

Healthcare professionals frequently encounter complex situations that require careful ethical judgment, professional integrity, and patient centered decision-making. Ethical dilemmas may arise when balancing patient autonomy, clinical recommendations, safety concerns, resource limitations, and cultural considerations. This self-paced continuing education course provides healthcare professionals with practical tools to navigate ethical challenges in clinical practice. Participants will explore the foundational principles of healthcare ethics, including autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice, and learn structured frameworks for analyzing and resolving ethical dilemmas. Through narrated instruction, real-world case scenarios, and reflective activities, learners will develop the skills needed to identify ethical issues, evaluate competing values, and apply professional codes of ethics in patient care settings. The course also examines the intersection of ethics, legal considerations, and cultural competence in modern healthcare environments. Designed for nurses, occupational therapists, and physical therapists, this course supports ethical clinical practice, strengthens professional accountability, and enhances decision-making confidence when faced with challenging care situations.