Transcript Chapter 14: Ethics and Senior Management

EILEEN E. MORRISON
A Practical Approach
For Decision Makers
SECOND EDITION
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Class Thirteen:
Moral Integrity and Codes of
Ethics
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Agenda
Definitions of morality
 Administrative evil
 Maintaining moral integrity
 Professional codes of ethics
 Review of the ACHE code
 Limitations of codes
 Homework assignment
 Summary
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Where are we now?
YOU
Organization
Community
Theory
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Morality Defined
Morality involves the choices that help you
live successfully with others.
 Can be divided into personal behavior and
societal behavior.
 Also included group moral behavior.
 Morality is action; ethics is foundation for
action.
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What happens when morality is
ignored?
Moral derailment can happen.
 Dye (2000) gives some examples.
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– Laziness, too much ego.
Can you be ethics-based and still make
money?
 Need to watch out for the shadow side of
management.
 What temptations will you face?
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Administrative Evil Exists
Actions that are efficient, effective, and
cost appropriate can also be evil.
 When you forget about humanity, then
you can have extraordinarily evil behavior.
 What does this look like?
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Why does this happen?
Moreno-Riaño (2001) says administrative
evil happens when we reduce people to
numbers and deny the human aspects of
our workforce.
 Discusses virtue or character ethics
 You should avoid being deaf to morality.
 How does this fit with health care?
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Protecting your Moral Integrity
How can you keep your moral integrity in
a high pressure health care world?
 Spirituality is important. Connections to
something higher than you and a sense of
belonging.
 Spirituality also includes meaning and
purpose (Frankl).
 Should we be attending to the spiritual
connection to work?
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Maintaining your Moral Integrity
Griffith says you can be moral and
successful; do you agree?
 You should become a moral beacon; foster
integrity in your department.
 Practice participative management and
allow contrary opinions and ideas.
 You have a duty to self care and personal
quality improvement.
 Be vigilant.
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Professional Codes
Thomas Percival wrote the first code of
professional ethics in 1794 and invented the
term, professional ethics.
 His code was for physicians.
 He tried to systematize moral judgments.
 His code goes beyond just taking an oath.
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Why are we concerned about
professionals?
We have power and are role models.
 We need to know what the profession
expects.
 Our codes are based on ethical reasoning
and society’s expectations.
 We must remember that codes are
guidelines not laws.
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Why Bother?
Ethical decision are not easy; codes provide
guidance.
 Acts like an ethics vitamin: helps to set
boundaries.
 Codes are not just words; they should regulate
your actions.
 Helps you avoid the shadow side of
administration.
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ACHE Code
The code is part of ethics materials.
 What is your primary duty?
 Gives your responsibilities in 8 areas.
 Groups will interpret the meaning.
Section II Aquinas Section III Kant Section
IV Mill Section V Rawls
 Conclusions????
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ACHE also has Other Tools
Examples of Policy Statements
 Policy: What are you to do?
 Also includes self assessments.
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Learning from other Codes
Many HCAs are “bi-codal”
 What problems could this cause?
 What should a HCM do about bicodalism?
 Examples and lessons from other codes are in
the book.
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Examples of Criticisms of Codes
Many professionals do not even know that
they have a code of ethics.
 Codes are not needed for moral people.
 Codes are about the profession not ethics.
 Codes are only guides; they cannot be
enforced.
 Codes need to relate to the real world.
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Homework
Find a least one example of ethics
hypocrisy.
 Your community will be explaining this
next class.
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