Professional Ethics
Course Content
1
Section 1: Introduction
1.1 Defining professional ethics
1.2 Why professional ethics matters in healthcare
1.3 Core functions of professional ethics
1.4 Ethics beyond compliance
1.5 Professional ethics in daily practice
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Section 2: Core Principles
2.1 Integrity: acting honestly and consistently
2.2 Probity: truthfulness and transparency
2.3 Accountability: taking responsibility for actions
2.4 Respect: valuing patients and colleagues
2.5 How the principles work together
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Section 3: Boundaries & Relationships
3.1 Why boundaries matter
3.2 Boundaries with patients
3.3 Boundaries with colleagues
3.4 Digital and organisational boundaries
3.5 Strategies for maintaining boundaries
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Section 4: Confidentiality & Candour
4.1 Confidentiality: protecting patient information
4.2 Honesty: truthfulness in professional practice
4.3 The duty of candour: openness when things go wrong
4.4 Ethical tensions and balancing principles
4.5 Canadian regulatory standards
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Section 5: Conflicts of Interest
5.1 What is a conflict of interest?
5.2 Why conflicts of interest matter
5.3 Recognising common scenarios
5.4 Ethical decision-making framework
5.5 Strategies for managing conflicts
5.6 Canadian regulatory standards
5.7 Ethical decision-making in practice
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Section 6: Digital & Organisational Ethics
6.1 Digital professionalism: ethics online
6.2 Telehealth and remote care
6.3 Organisational pressures and ethical tensions
6.4 Workplace culture and collegial ethics
6.5 Canadian regulatory expectations
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Section 7: Case Studies
7.7 Reflection on the case studies
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Section 8: Reflection, Insight & Remediation
8.1 Reflection: learning through honest self-examination
8.2 Insight: understanding impact and responsibility
8.3 Remediation: taking corrective and constructive action
8.4 The reflection, insight, and remediation cycle
8.5 Building a culture of reflection and accountability