Chapter 2 Professional Ethics 31 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. was found to have violated the ethical requirement to avoid harming the patient and, of course, breaking a criminal law against voluntarily tak- ing the life of another person. The Kavorkian case led to much public attention to the topics of assisted suicide and right-to-death policies that continues to be debated across the country. Ethical Rights of Patients and Providers Sometimes a patient is unable to articulate his or her own informed opin- ion about a course of treatment. To address this situation, many institutions have published their own set of rights for patients to guide conserva- tors, guardians, or others holding power of attorney for healthcare (see Chapter 5). These patient rights provide additional benefits, such as com- municating to the public that the organization recognizes a patient’s rights and is committed to patients involved in and directing their care. These guidelines also provide a means to communicate a provid- er’s rights to candor and respect from the patient. Patient rights can help clarify the roles of patient and provider as they work together to enable quality care, minimize misunderstandings, and reduce the likelihood of costly litigation. Ethical Decision Making Medical ethical standards are intended to guide individuals, and, as you have read repeatedly, they are always changing. Medical care provided with these standards in mind often requires moment-to-moment deci- sions and actions. Ethical missteps in actual practice can occur before you even recognize the existence of an ethical question. Missteps are judged after the fact, when it is too late to correct a violation. Enforcement of ethical standards by licensing authorities and employers is intended to punish violators but also provide guidance to avoid future problems. When an ethical error occurs, licenses may be sus- pended or revoked, and a person can even be fired. Licensing authorities always test your knowledge of the rules before allowing you to engage in care, but applying the rules during a busy day can be challenging. You will obtain some understanding of this when you first apply for admis- sion to a health profession or when you undergo orientation. You will want to internalize ethical rules so they are second nature. For example, you might automatically ask yourself if a patient provided informed con- sent for what you are about to do. In addition to passing initial entry tests, health professionals must maintain awareness of long-standing rules and the possibility of new rules or new interpretations of existing rules. Many professions require