Biomaterial Database

Clinical judgment and bioethics: the decision making link. 1991

R A Wright

University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City 73190-3046.

The literature on bioethics is diverse and confusing in its treatment of appropriate components for decision making. As a result, the literature on teaching bioethics is also confusing, even contradictory, in presenting an 'appropriate' framework within which learners may come to understand the nature and process of bioethics. The article sets out five decision components which are seen as common to all decision making. These components are then shown to have a significant influence both on bioethics decision making and on bioethics teaching. They are also shown to play a role in breaking down the separatism evidenced in contemporary bioethics literature aimed at individual professions.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007600	Judgment	The process of discovering or asserting an objective or intrinsic relation between two objects or concepts; a faculty or power that enables a person to make judgments; the process of bringing to light and asserting the implicit meaning of a concept; a critical evaluation of a person or situation.	Judgement,Judgements,Judgments
D003661	Decision Support Techniques	Mathematical or statistical procedures used as aids in making a decision. They are frequently used in medical decision-making.	Decision Analysis,Decision Modeling,Models, Decision Support,Analysis, Decision,Decision Aids,Decision Support Technics,Aid, Decision,Aids, Decision,Analyses, Decision,Decision Aid,Decision Analyses,Decision Support Model,Decision Support Models,Decision Support Technic,Decision Support Technique,Model, Decision Support,Modeling, Decision,Technic, Decision Support,Technics, Decision Support,Technique, Decision Support,Techniques, Decision Support
D004992	Ethics, Medical	The principles of professional conduct concerning the rights and duties of the physician, relations with patients and fellow practitioners, as well as actions of the physician in patient care and interpersonal relations with patient families.	Medical Ethics
D012945	Social Values	Abstract standards or empirical variables in social life which are believed to be important and/or desirable.	Value Orientation,Values, Social,Value Orientations
D013663	Teaching	A formal and organized process of transmitting knowledge to a person or group.	Teaching Method,Training Activity,Training Technique,Academic Training,Educational Technics,Educational Techniques,Pedagogy,Teaching Methods,Technics, Educational,Techniques, Educational,Training Activities,Training Technics,Training Techniques,Activities, Training,Activity, Training,Educational Technic,Educational Technique,Method, Teaching,Methods, Teaching,Pedagogies,Technic, Educational,Technic, Training,Technics, Training,Technique, Educational,Technique, Training,Techniques, Training,Training Technic,Training, Academic
D018864	Cultural Diversity	Coexistence of numerous distinct ethnic, racial, religious, or cultural groups within one social unit, organization, or population. (From American Heritage Dictionary, 2d college ed., 1982, p955)	Multiculturalism,Pluralism,Cultural Pluralism,Cultural Diversities,Diversities, Cultural,Diversity, Cultural,Multiculturalisms,Pluralism, Cultural,Pluralisms
D026684	Personal Autonomy	Self-directing freedom and especially moral independence. An ethical principle holds that the autonomy of persons ought to be respected. (Bioethics Thesaurus)	Autonomy, Personal,Free Will,Self Determination
D026686	Beneficence	The state or quality of being kind, charitable, or beneficial. (from American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed). The ethical principle of BENEFICENCE requires producing net benefit over harm. (Bioethics Thesaurus)	Benevolence,Nonmaleficence
D026689	Ethical Analysis	The use of systematic methods of ethical examination, such as CASUISTRY or ETHICAL THEORY, in reasoning about moral problems.	Analysis, Ethical,Analyses, Ethical,Ethical Analyses
D028663	Ethical Theory	A philosophically coherent set of propositions (for example, utilitarianism) which attempts to provide general norms for the guidance and evaluation of moral conduct. (from Beauchamp and Childress, Principles of Biomedical Ethics, 4th ed)	Consequentialism,Deontological Ethics,Ethics, Deontological,Ethics, Teleological,Normative Ethics,Teleological Ethics,Utilitarianism,Deontological Ethic,Ethic, Deontological,Ethic, Normative,Ethic, Teleological,Ethical Theories,Ethics, Normative,Normative Ethic,Teleological Ethic,Theories, Ethical,Theory, Ethical,Utilitarianisms