Professional ethics are attempts to define the ground rules and principles which determine the right behavior as well as what professionals ought to do (Faden et al., 2013). The codes of ethics, which contain the ethics and integrity for healthcare professionals, incorporate the various values, principles, and standards (Sullivan, (2005). The ethics and integrity issues have multiple impacts on the nature of professional education as well as the identity of the practitioners. Ethics are pegged on values, which evolved from the character of the healthcare environment.
Impact of Professional Ethics on Professional Education and Professional Identity
Professional ethics guide the content of professional education, especially in the health sector. The various principles and values considered important are inculcated into professional studies and curricula (Faden et al., 2013). The ethical aspects of healthcare shape the identities of the practitioners. Specifically, the ethics will ensure that the health professionals develop characters and attributes, which align with those values. As such, Dent, and Whitehead (2013) posit that the provisions of the various codes of conduct inform the professional identities of those who follow the ethical codes. Although the identity of the healthcare practitioners might be different before they seek professional education, they change and align with those of the standards and principles recognized as professional ethics.
Impact on Professional Education Especially Healthcare Education
Professional ethos and issues of integrity do not exist in a vacuum. The principles are based on the aspects, which are considered necessary for the provision of quality care. Healthcare education borrows some of its mandates from professional standards (Faden et al., 2013). As such, healthcare education serves to reinforce the ethical conduct in the profession by ensuring that the curricula and programs in place observe these established standards and principles. Healthcare education equips the students and professional with the various ways to which they can adhere to those criteria. As such, healthcare ethics and integrity issues shape the nature of programs in healthcare education (Flite and Harman, 2013). Education in healthcare focuses on how professional can observe standards and principles universally accepted by the entire healthcare profession.
Alignment of the Notions of Professional Values with Evolving Reform of Healthcare Program Accreditation
The healthcare programs and curricula are not rigid but rather evolve with the changes in the nature of professional values and standards. As such, according to Flite and Harman (2013), programs in professional healthcare education should be varied so that they align with the changing professional values. Healthcare programs are accredited based on their ability to inculcate the professional values and ethics. Programs, which do not include the selected standards, cannot be accredited (Messikomer and Cirka, 2010). The notion of professional values are those universally accepted standards which could be observed by every healthcare practitioner and which should be included in every healthcare program before it is accredited.
In conclusion, professional ethos and integrity shape the conduct of individuals in healthcare as they provide standards, which differentiate between the right and wrong. Professional ethics dictate the nature of education and in extension, the identity of healthcare practitioners. Specifically, the content of healthcare education is borrowed from the universally accepted norms and values. As such, before healthcare programs are accredited, they should align with the professional values in place. Programs, which do not have the accepted values touching on ethics and integrity, cannot be accredited as they will not provide professionals with the expected identities required of them based on the standards set out in the codes of conduct.
References
Dent, M., & Whitehead, S. (Eds.). (2013). Managing professional identities: Knowledge, performativities and the'new'professional (Vol. 19). Routledge.
Faden, R. R., Kass, N. E., Goodman, S. N., Pronovost, P., Tunis, S., & Beauchamp, T. L. (2013). An ethics framework for a learning health care system: a departure from traditional research ethics and clinical ethics. Hastings Center Report, 43(s1).
Flite, C. A., & Harman, L. B. (2013). Code of ethics: principles for ethical leadership. Perspectives in Health Information Management/AHIMA, American Health Information Management Association, 10(Winter).
Messikomer, C. M., & Cirka, C. C. (2010). Constructing a code of ethics: An experiential case of a national professional organization. Journal of Business Ethics, 95(1), 55-71.
Sullivan, William M. (2005). Work and Integrity: The Crisis and Promise of Professionalism in America. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2005. 327 pp. ISBN 0-7879-7458-7.
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