Ethics and Professionalism | 24 CME

Ethics and Professionalism - 24 CME

Course Description

This Ethics & Professionalism course has been reviewed and approved by the Medical Board of California and is designed for medical and legal professionals, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and attorneys. Utilizing didactic lectures, case studies, written questions, and classroom discussion, the course provides participants with a comprehensive working understanding of medical ethics and medical professionalism. The course explores the foundations of ethics, distinguishes ethics from law, explains the direct and indirect consequences of unethical conduct, and explores special ethical issues involving patient relationships, confidentiality, consent, and caring for patients at the end of life. The course will also examine interprofessional relationships, the ethics of financing in the delivery of healthcare, and medical professionalism. By the end of the course participants should have a comprehensive working understanding of the basic and advanced ethical principles related to the delivery of medical care.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this CME-approved activity, participants will be better able to:

·  Distinguish ethical behavior from legal behavior and understand how they may relate to each other

·  Discriminate legal and non-legal consequences of unethical behavior

·  Recognize ethical responsibilities of physicians towards patients

·  Evaluate ethical issues of consent, confidentiality, and care of patients at the end of life

·  Articulate special ethical problems related to adults, minors, and those who are unrepresented

·  Understand the significance of ethical interprofessional relationships

·  Employ ethics in financing of health care delivery

Needs Assessment

Medical ethics and medical professionalism are essential to the proper care and treatment of patients. Ethics defines how we treat our patient and their families; how we relate to our colleagues; and how we behave towards our institutions. Medical and nursing schools spend far too little time teaching medical ethics and, as a result, health care practitioners often lack the necessary solid foundation in medical ethics and do not fully understand the consequences of unethical behavior. Those who have not been trained in medical ethics are in danger of making decisions that have far-reaching consequences, including hospital disciplinary actions, legal conflicts, and medical board licensing actions. A proper foundation in ethics and professionalism fosters better clinical decision-making, improved professional interactions, and reduced professional liability. This educational program, designed for attending and resident physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and attorneys has been approved by the Medical Board of California and is designed to address the deficiency of ethical training as well as provide practical tools to incorporate ethical behavior into one’s clinical practice.

​Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine and the Academy of Ethics & Legal Medicine. The University of California, Irvine School of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Designation Statement

​The University of California, Irvine School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 24 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.