References

Beauchamp TL. The ‘four principles’ approach to health care ethics, 2nd edn. In: Ashcroft RE, Dawson A, Draper H, McMillan J (eds). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons; 2007

Benn P. Conscience and health care ethics, 2nd edn. In: Ashcroft RE, Dawson A, Draper H, McMillan J (eds). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons; 2007

Bowles RR, van Beek C, Anderson GS. Four dimensions of paramedic practice in Canada: Defining and describing the profession. Australas J Paramedicine. 2017; 14:(3) https://doi.org/10.33151/ajp.14.3.539

Breen KJ. Medical professionalism: is it really under threat?. Med J Aust. 2007; 186:(11)596-598 https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.2007.tb01062

Breen KJ, Cordner SM, Thompson CJH, Plueckhahn VD. Good medical practice: professionalism, ethics and law.: Cambridge University Press; 2010

Cullity G. Beneficence, 2nd edn. In: Ashcroft RE, Dawson A, Draper H, McMillan J (eds). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons; 2007

Eaton G, Wong G, Williams V, Roberts N, Mahtani KR. Contribution of paramedics in primary and urgent care: a systematic review. Br J Gen Pract. 2020; 70:(695)e421-e426 https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp20X709877

Ebbs P, Gonzalez P. A need to balance technical and non-technical skills. J Para Pract. 2019; 11:(3)98-99

Gillon R. Medical ethics: four principles plus attention to scope. BMJ. 1994; 309:(6948)184-188 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.309.6948.184

Herring J. Medical law and ethics.New York (NY): Oxford University Press; 2014

Kerridge I, Lowe M, McPhee J. Ethics and law for the health professions, 2nd edn. Sydney: Federation Press; 2005

Lindridge J. Principlism: when values conflict. J Paramedic Pract. 2017; 9:(4)158-163 https://doi.org/10.12968/jpar.2017.9.4.158

Luck M. An introduction to ethics for paramedics. In: Townsend R, Luck M (eds). Australia and New Zealand: Elsevier Health Sciences;

Parkinson M. Pain: highlighting the law and ethics of pain relief in end-of-life patients. J Paramedic Pract. 2015; 7:(7)344-349 https://doi.org/10.12968/jpar.2015.7.7.344

Proctor A. Home visits from paramedic practitioners in general practice: patient perceptions. J Paramedic Pract. 2019; 11:(3)115-121 https://doi.org/10.12968/jpar.2019.11.3.115

Spence D. Bad medicine: good medicine—the GP paramedic. Br J Gen Pract. 2017; 67:(660) https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp17X691445

Stoljar N. Theories of autonomy, 2nd edn. In: Ashcroft RE, Dawson A, Draper H, McMillan J (eds). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons; 2007

legal

Principlism in paramedicine: an examination of applied healthcare ethics

02 August 2020
Features
02 August 2020
Volume 12 · Issue 8

Abstract

Principlism is arguably the dominant recognised ethical framework used within medicine and other Western health professions today, including the UK paramedic profession. It concerns the application of four principles: autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice.

This article examines the theory and practice of principlism, and shows how it is used in daily paramedic practice and decision-making. Practical guidance on applying ethics in paramedicine, illustrated with scenarios, is also provided.

This is the first in a series of three articles on paramedic ethics. This series complements the Journal of Paramedic Practice's concurrent CPD˚series on paramedic law in the UK. Later articles in this series will examine the complex ethical issues that can accompany end-of-life care, and ethical considerations relating to treatment of vulnerable persons including children.

After completing this module, the paramedic will be able to:

Ethics and ethical quandaries are inseparable from everyday clinical practice; this is true for doctors working in the emergency department, nurses working in palliative care settings and paramedics who attend to a range of diverse and complex situations each day.

Paramedic practice occurs in ‘inherently diverse [and] uncontrolled’ settings which are full of complexity (Ebbs and Gonzalez, 2019); where consequential decisions need to be made every day, often within demanding timeframes. The study of healthcare ethics is highly relevant to paramedic practice as it is concerned with helping clinicians to make reasonable and logically defensible decisions in complex circumstances—particularly where the requirements of the law and policies may be unclear.

Principlism is an ethical framework based on the application of four principles: autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice (Beauchamp, 2007: 9; Lindridge, 2017: 158).

Subscribe to get full access to the Journal of Paramedic Practice

Thank you for visiting the Journal of Paramedic Practice and reading our archive of expert clinical content. If you would like to read more from the only journal dedicated to those working in emergency care, you can start your subscription today for just £48.

What's included

  • CPD Focus

  • Develop your career

  • Stay informed

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address