Open Access Kent State (OAKS)

Ethical decision making and action in health care are complex phenomena. This article provides an inclusive overview of the domain of ethics, a discussion of the many origins of ethical values, and an historical overview of how ethics fits with the related domains of morality, religion, law, culture, professional codes of conduct, and policy. A case situation based on real events illustrates the ethical conflicts inherent to interdisciplinary health care administration, including the influence of power and money. The article seeks to facilitate ethical reflection in the health care disciplines, and to contribute to the level of discourse among professional care providers and their leaders. Ultimately, patients stand to benefit from our discerning choices.