Medical Assistant Prep / Unit 27 MAS 666 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Core Ethical Principles
The idea
Several ethical principles guide decisions in health care, and knowing their names helps you explain what feels wrong about a situation.
In practice
First, autonomy: respecting a person's right to make their own choices, as an advance directive does. Second, beneficence: acting for the good of others, guided by compassion. Third, nonmaleficence: avoiding harm. Fourth, justice: treating people fairly. Fifth, fidelity: keeping promises, such as returning when you said you would. Sixth, veracity: telling the truth, including uncomfortable truths about care.
Where people slip
Principles can conflict, for example when a patient's own choice seems to risk harm to them. Those conflicts are worked through by the provider and the practice's leadership, not settled by you alone, and your part is to raise the concern openly rather than to act on it quietly.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
Unlocks
- Nothing yet depends on this.
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