Question 1

The principle of nonmaleficence captures the health professional's obligation …
A) To prevent harm to the patient
B) To avoid inflicting harm on the patient
C) To give patients what they deserve
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

The principle of nonmaleficence requires that health professionals avoid inflicting harm on their patients. This means that they must take steps to minimize the risk of harm and ensure that any potential harms are outweighed by the potential benefits of treatment.

Question 2

The principle of beneficence captures the health professional's obligation …
A) To prevent harm to the patient
B) To avoid inflicting harm on the patient
C) To give patients what they deserve
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

The principle of beneficence captures the health professional's obligation to prevent harm to the patient.

Question 3

The principle of respect for autonomy captures the health professional's obligation …
A) To prevent harm to the patient
B) To avoid inflicting harm on the patient
C) To give patients what they deserve
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

The principle of respect for autonomy is primarily about respecting the patient's right to make their own decisions regarding their health care, rather than preventing harm, avoiding inflicting harm, or giving patients what they deserve, which relate to other ethical principles like nonmaleficence and justice.

Question 4

The principle of justice captures the health professional's obligation …
A) To prevent harm to the patient
B) To avoid inflicting harm on the patient
C) To give patients what they deserve
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

The principle of justice in healthcare requires healthcare professionals to provide patients with what they deserve or are entitled to, such as fair and equitable access to healthcare services, unbiased treatment, and resources. This principle aims to ensure that all patients are treated equally and without discrimination, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, or socio-economic status. The principles of beneficence and non-maleficence relate to preventing harm to the patient and avoiding inflicting harm on the patient, respectively.

Question 5

Given respect for patient autonomy, which of the following are health care providers obligated to do?
A) They must honor a competent patient's request of treatment even if they reasonably deem it harmful or medically inappropriate
B) They must honor a competent patient's refusal of treatment even if the patient's life is at risk
C) They must honor either the request or refusal of treatment, as stated by a competent patient
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

Health care providers are obligated to respect a competent patient's autonomy, which includes honoring their refusal of treatment, even if it puts the patient's life at risk. This is because patient autonomy is a fundamental ethical principle in healthcare, emphasizing the right of patients to make their own healthcare decisions.

Question 6

In the Dax Cowart case, the health care providers' decision to treat amounted to …
A) A violation of the principle of justice
B) A violation of the principle of beneficence
C) A violation of the principle of nonmaleficence
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

The health care providers' decision to treat Dax Cowart, despite his objections, was based on their interpretation of the principle of beneficence, aiming to do good and save his life, rather than violating any specific ethical principle listed.

Question 7

Which, if any, of the following factors determines whether a paternalistic decision in medicine illustrates soft, as opposed to hard, paternalism?
A) That the benefits of a treatment compensate its burden for the patient
B) That the patient has or lacks mental competency
C) That the patient receives what she deserves
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

Whether a paternalistic decision in medicine illustrates soft or hard paternalism depends on whether the patient has mental competency. Soft paternalism refers to instances where the patient lacks mental competency and is unable to make decisions in their own best interest, while hard paternalism involves overriding a patient's autonomous decision, even if they are mentally competent. Factors such as the benefits and burden of treatment, or whether the patient deserves certain treatment, do not determine whether a paternalistic decision is soft or hard.

Question 8

In medicine, the expression "due care" refers to …
A) The care a reasonable health professional would provide in the circumstances
B) The right of patients to receive similar care under relevantly similar circumstances
C) The right of health professionals to abstain from honoring a patient's request for treatment
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

"Due care" in medicine refers to the care that a reasonable health professional would provide in the circumstances. This includes meeting the standards of care, using sound judgment, and being diligent in providing care. Option B refers to the principle of "equal treatment," and option C is not related to the concept of "due care."

Question 9

Radical and moderate casuists agree in the importance of …
A) Appealing to moral principles to infer verdicts about cases
B) Rejecting any exclusively top-down approach to evaluating cases
C) Appealing to moral theories to decide cases
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Both radical and moderate casuists agree on rejecting an exclusively top-down approach, emphasizing the importance of considering specific cases rather than solely relying on overarching moral theories.

Question 10

Casuists propose to evaluate bioethical issues by primarily using …
A) Analogical reasoning from already-decided cases
B) Deductive reasoning from moral theory
C) Inference from the principles of bioethics
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Casuists primarily rely on analogical reasoning from already-decided cases to evaluate bioethical issues. While they may also consider moral theory and principles of bioethics, these are typically secondary to their use of cases.

Question 11

Which of the following best captures the principle of autonomy?
A) "Avoid inflicting uncompensated harm on patients"
B) "Promote the patients' best interests"
C) "Facilitate the patients' self-regarding medical decisionmaking"
D) "Do not impose undue burdens on a group of patients"

Accepted Answer

Autonomy is the principle that individuals should have the right to make decisions for themselves. Choice C best captures this principle by emphasizing the importance of facilitating the patients' own decision-making. Answers A and B focus more on avoiding harm and promoting the patient's best interests, respectively, but do not necessarily prioritize the patient's autonomy. Answer D is not related to autonomy.

Question 12

Given the principle of nonmaleficence, health care professionals should be aware of which of the following?
A) That they have considerable power to harm patients
B) That their healing arts are to be applied judiciously and with the utmost skill
C) That they should pursue only courses of treatment whose workings they understand
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

The principle of nonmaleficence requires health care professionals to not cause harm to patients. This means they should be aware of their considerable power to harm patients (A), apply their healing arts judiciously and with utmost skill (B), and pursue only courses of treatment whose workings they understand (C). Therefore, all of the above options are important considerations for health care professionals practicing nonmaleficence.

Question 13

Which of the following best captures a principle of beneficence?
A) "Avoid inflicting uncompensated harm on patients"
B) "Promote the patient's best interests"
C) "Facilitate the patient's self-regarding medical decisionmaking"
D) "Do not impose undue burdens on a group of patients"

Accepted Answer

The principle of beneficence requires healthcare providers to act in the best interests of their patients and to promote their well-being. Option A relates to the principle of non-maleficence, Option C relates to the principle of respect for patient autonomy, and Option D relates to the principle of justice.

Question 14

Which of the following best captures a Kantian perspective on patient autonomy? Patient autonomy …
A) Is valuable as a means for maximizing liberty
B) Follows from respect for persons
C) Is valuable as a means for maximizing happiness
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

A Kantian perspective on patient autonomy emphasizes that respect for persons is the basis for patient autonomy. Kant believed that individuals have inherent worth and dignity and should be treated as ends in themselves, rather than as means to an end. Thus, respecting patient autonomy is not solely a means for maximizing liberty or happiness, but rather a reflection of respect for the inherent worth and dignity of the person.

Question 15

Given the principle of nonmaleficence, what should health care providers be mindful of?
A) Preventing harm to the patient
B) Avoiding harm to the patient
C) Respecting patient autonomy
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

The principle of nonmaleficence specifically refers to the obligation of healthcare providers to avoid causing harm to patients.

Question 16

Distinguish the concepts of moral 'harm' and 'wrong,' and describe the types of harm most often to be met with in medicine.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Distinguish the concepts of moral 'harm' and...

Question 17

Some think that a principle of beneficence can capture the health care providers' obligations of beneficence and nonmaleficance. What would such overarching principle say? And how might it deal with the problem that inflicting harm may come into conflict with preventing harm? Illustrate your answer with examples.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Some think that a principle of beneficence...

Question 18

Provide some reasons for the claim that a principle-oriented bioethics is compatible with casuistry. Consider the guidance that each could give in deciding what's the right thing to do in a real or imaginary case.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Provide some reasons for the claim that...

Question 19

Which principles of bioethics may be invoked to support, and which to undermine, the anti-vaccinators' refusals of vaccines for themselves or their children?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which principles of bioethics may be invoked...

Question 20

How do beneficence and patient autonomy relate to the view on truth-telling prevalent in the history of Western medicine, as discussed in Chapter 1?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How do beneficence and patient autonomy relate...

Quiz 3: Principle-Oriented and Case-Oriented Bioethics

The principle of nonmaleficence captures the health professional's obligation …

The principle of beneficence captures the health professional's obligation …

The principle of respect for autonomy captures the health professional's obligation …

The principle of justice captures the health professional's obligation …

Given respect for patient autonomy, which of the following are health care providers obligated to do?

In the Dax Cowart case, the health care providers' decision to treat amounted to …

Which, if any, of the following factors determines whether a paternalistic decision in medicine illustrates soft, as opposed to hard, paternalism?

In medicine, the expression "due care" refers to …

Radical and moderate casuists agree in the importance of …

Casuists propose to evaluate bioethical issues by primarily using …

Which of the following best captures the principle of autonomy?

Given the principle of nonmaleficence, health care professionals should be aware of which of the following?

Which of the following best captures a principle of beneficence?

Which of the following best captures a Kantian perspective on patient autonomy? Patient autonomy …

Given the principle of nonmaleficence, what should health care providers be mindful of?

Distinguish the concepts of moral 'harm' and 'wrong,' and describe the types of harm most often to be met with in medicine.

Provide some reasons for the claim that a principle-oriented bioethics is compatible with casuistry. Consider the guidance that each could give in deciding what's the right thing to do in a real or imaginary case.

Which principles of bioethics may be invoked to support, and which to undermine, the anti-vaccinators' refusals of vaccines for themselves or their children?

How do beneficence and patient autonomy relate to the view on truth-telling prevalent in the history of Western medicine, as discussed in Chapter 1?