Six step framework for ethical decision making
Do you make Ethical Decisions?
According to Gavin Enck there is six steps for creating a framework to ethical decision making. Information would be one step. The ability to obtain as much information as possible about the customers and employees, will lead to well thought processed decision making. It also leads to satisfaction and rarely gets close to failure. Identification would be another step. The efforts to assess whether this is an ethics issue or if it is a legal, institutional or social issue better addressed by other services or departments. Clarification is another, being able to carry all information throughout the business sufficiently. Making sure members of the team know and understand all the necessary and relevant information in regard to the success or downfall of the business. Assessment is the ability to assess the considerations of customer’s preferences, interests, values and their quality of life. Recommendation is being able to make recommendations all parties can understand.
Documentation entails the act of documenting recommendations in customers records. Follow up, making sure the customer is aware of what’s going on. Lastly feedback: ask for comments, suggestions and thoughts about the ethical issue or dilemma, recommendation or decision-making process. Enck references Aristole about the complexity of ethics, ‘Our discussion will be adequate if it has as much clearness as the subject matter admits of’. While the complexity of ethics for those working in health care is great, a distinct advantage is that biomedical ethical concepts clearly stipulate the obligations, responsibilities and conduct of practitioners. It is reasonable to think that their conduct is governed by certain principles, rules and ideals.
References:
Enck G., Six step framework for ethical decision making (2014)
