PHARMACY PRACTICE I
Professionalism & Ethics
Martha Kampanza
Pharmacy Practice & Policy
University of Namibia, School of Pharmacy
Objectives
1. Define terms such as professionalism and ethics
2. Demonstrate ability to apply ethical principles in decision making
3. Understand pharmacist code of ethics
4. Understand the ideas of professionalism and ethics in pharmacy
Professionalism
A profession
An occupation that is :
• Recognized by the public as a profession
• Is a recognized representative professional body
• Benefits from professional standards and code of conduct
• Regulated to ensure the maintenance of standards and code of conduct
A code of ethics is hallmark of a profession..
A professional
• Acts and behaves professionally
• Exercises professionalism
• Exercises professional judgement
• has professional values, attitudes and behaviors
Professionalism
• Refers to the attributes, behaviors, commitments, values, and goals that characterize
a profession
• Appropriate accountability
• Compassion
• Duty
• Excellence and continuous improvement
• Honor and integrity
• Professional judgement
• Respect for others; mutual respect
• Able to work with others
ETHICS
Ethics
The word ethics • Ta ethika, • Ethos, • The discipline • The principles
has Greek referring to meaning of dealing with of conduct
roots: philosophical personal what is good governing an
inquiry into character and bad, and individual or
good and evil with moral duty group
and obligation
Ethical behavior
• It is the day-to-day expression of one’s commitment to other persons
• The ways in which human beings relate to one another in their daily interactions
Examples of ethical behavior:
1. Respecting dignity of self and others
2. Prevent harm and harmful conditions
3. Act to remove harm or promote benefit
4. Treating individuals equally
Ethical principals
Four basic principles form the basis of moral thought in healthcare:
• Autonomy
o Respect the uniqueness and dignity of each person, self, and others.
• Nonmaleficence
o Prevent harm and removal of harmful conditions.
• Beneficence
o Act to remove harm or promote benefit.
• Justice
o Treat individuals equally.
Ethical dilemmas
• Arise when more than one, sometimes opposite, actions arise because those involved in the
situation have different perspectives.
• Ethical principles may suggest different courses of action.
Think of the following:
What would you do if………
1. If you suspect that your colleague was practicing under the influence of drugs/alcohol while on
the job?
The doctrine of double effect:
• Describes a situation in which an action has more than one effect, one of which is harmful.
• The harmful effect may be unanticipated, or may not be known in advance
• Morality of the act is governed by the intended effect
• Ethically permissible only if:
• Act is morally good or at least morally neutral
• Only good effect is intended
• Good effect is not achievable by way of the bad effect
• Good result outweighs the bad result
The doctrine of double effect:
Examples in health care:
1. Administering high dose opiods in terminally ill patients
2. Saving the life of a pregnant women when fetal dearth will result
3. Removing life support
Code of ethics
• Identifies what colleagues should expect of each other within a profession and what the
public should expect from the professional.
• An attempt to define basic rules, or principles for determining what constitutes "good" or
"right" behavior.
• To determine what we ought to do next
Examples of codes of ethics for pharmacists
A 7 star pharmacist: 6. Respects the values and abilities of
colleagues and other health
1. Respects the covenantal relationship between
the patient and pharmacist. professionals.
7. Serves individual, community, and
2. Promotes the good of every patient in a societal needs.
caring, compassionate, and confidential
manner.
8. Seeks justice in the distribution of health
3. Respects the autonomy and dignity of each resources.
patient.
4. Acts with honesty and integrity in professional
relationships.
5. Maintains professional competence.
Think about…..
1. Non-judgemental attitude:
Sometimes healthcare professionals struggle to maintain a non-judgmental attitude when they
encounter patients whose health problems result from their own actions, such as:
• The new mother whose infant is experiencing alcohol or drug withdrawal.
• Patients whose injuries resulted during illegal activities such as robbery, confrontation
with law enforcement officers, high speed chases, and other activities.
• The patient who has cardiac, orthopedic, and other problems related to excessive
weight.
• Patients whose illnesses or injuries resulted from high risk activities including IV drug
use and risky sexual practices
Think about…..
Suppose that your patient has been recovering from injuries sustained in a devastating accident and
has progressed with intense physical therapy to be able to walk unassisted for the first time in months.
You feel tempted to take a photo and video with your Smartphone. You ask the patient for permission.
2. Social Media The patient says “OK.” You are both caught up in the joy of the moment. You take some photos and
video.
Leaving work that day, you’re still exuberant about the achievements of the patient and the healthcare
team. You want to show your social media contacts what your professional life is all about
Ethically, can you
post your photos The patient did give permission, but probably not in writing. And, permission for what? Probably not to
have his image made public. And in the joy of the moment, was permission granted in a thoughtful,
or videos in social informed fashion?
media? Or post the
video on YouTube?
Think about…..
3. Personal What if a family member, friend, celebrity etc receives care at your
Health Information pharmacy or hospital?
Ethically, Do you have
the right to look
through their personal Think privacy and confidentiality
health information
(medical records, data
base etc) because you
have access?
