PATIENT RIGHTS AND ETHICS

Course overview

PATIENT RIGHTS ARE A SUBSET OF HUMAN RIGHTS. WHEREAS THE CONCEPT OF HUMAN RIGHTS REFERS TO MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR THE WAYS PERSONS CAN EXPECT TO BE TREATED BY OTHERS, THE CONCEPT OF ETHICS REFERS TO CUSTOMARY STANDARDS FOR THE WAYS PERSONS SHOULD TREAT OTHERS. AS SUCH, RIGHTS AND ETHICS ARE USUALLY FLIP SIDES OF THE SAME COIN, AND BEHIND EVERY ‘PATIENT RIGHT’ IS ONE OR MORE ETHICAL PRINCIPLE FROM WHICH THAT RIGHT IS DERIVED. THIS ACTIVITY DISCUSSES HOW THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM CAN ENSURE THAT ETHICAL PRINCIPLES ARE FOLLOWED AND THE PATIENT'S RIGHTS ARE ASSURED.