Page 545 - alligood 8th edition_Neat

526 UNIT IV Nursing Theories

BOX 26-1 Bioethical Standards the individual (J. Husted, personal communication,
March 5, 2004). As stated earlier, recognition of these
Autonomy standards is preconditional to the implicit patient–
Autonomy is the uniqueness of the individual, the health care professional agreement. When recognized
singular character structure of the individual. Every and respected in each individual, these human quali-
person has the right to act on his or her unique and ties and capabilities form the basis for ethical interac-
independent purposes. tion. When they are disregarded, the context of the
situation is lost. Interaction is then based on whatever
Beneficence is served by concrete directives or on the whim of the
Beneficence is the capability to act to acquire desired participants.
benefits and necessary life requirements. Each person
may act to obtain the things he or she needs and Certainty
prefers. There are circumstances in health care when a pa-
tient is unable to communicate his unique character
Fidelity structure, as in the case of an infant or a comatose
Fidelity is an individual’s faithfulness to his or her patient. health care professionals also interact with
own uniqueness. Each person manages, maintains, individuals from different cultures for whom a com-
and sustains his or her unique life. For the health mon language is lacking. In these cases, the bioethi-
care professional, fidelity in agreement means cal standards can provide a measure of certainty
commitment to the obligations accepted in the when knowledge of an individual’s unique character
professional role. is unobtainable.
If you know nothing whatever about an individu-
Freedom al’s uniqueness, then you are justified in acting on the
Freedom is the capability and right to take action basis that, as a member of the human species, he
based on the agent’s own evaluation of the situa- shares much in common with every other individual
tion. Every person may choose his or her course of (Fedorka & Husted, 2004, p. 58).
action. These commonalities are the bioethical standards.
Each person needs the power to sustain his unique
Objectivity nature, the power to be objectively aware of his sur-
Objectivity is the right to achieve and sustain the roundings, and the power to control his time and effort,
exercise of objective awareness. Every person has to pursue benefit, and to avoid harm. Lacking other
an awareness and understanding of the universe information, nurses and health care professionals are
outside himself or herself. Every person has the justified to do all they can to restore these powers to the
right to manage, maintain, and sustain this under- individual.
standing as he or she chooses.
Decision-Making Model
Self-Assertion Figure 26–1 demonstrates the way the concepts of
Self-assertion is the right and capability to con- the theory interact with direct decision making. The
trol one’s time and effort. Each person has the elements of ethical decision making interact in the
right to pursue chosen courses of action without following way:
interference. • A person is a rational being with a unique char-
acter structure. Each person has the right to
choose and pursue, without interference, a course
Just as the bioethical standards are not to be con- of action in accordance with his needs and
sidered as concrete directives, so too, they are not desires.
distinct entities. Each standard blends with the others • Agreements between individuals are demonstrated
as representative of the unique character structure of by a shared state of awareness directed toward a goal.