A comprehensive guide to medical ethics principles and informed consent process, covering fundamental ethical principles in healthcare and the importance of advance directives in healthcare decision-making, while emphasizing confidentiality and ethical principles in patient care.
- Medical ethics encompasses seven core principles: autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, confidentiality, social justice, veracity, and fidelity
- Advance directives serve as formal instructions for future medical care decisions
- Healthcare professionals must balance patient rights with legal obligations
- Patient autonomy and informed consent are cornerstone principles in medical practice
- Confidentiality and trust form the foundation of patient-provider relationships
- The Patient Self-Determination Act ensures patients' rights in healthcare decisions