Ethical Theory Matrix
| Theory | Decision Criteria | Your Own Example | Strengths | Weaknesses |
| Utilitarianism | Decisions are based on maximizing overall happiness or utility for the greatest number of people (Abumere, 2020). The morally correct action is the one that produces the best balance of benefits over harms for the majority. | A hospital administrator decides to allocate limited resources to a vaccination program targeting thousands of individuals at high risk of contracting a contagious disease. Although this decision deprives funding of a specialized treatment program for a rare condition affecting a smaller group, the administrator justifies it based on the greater overall benefit to the community. | – Focuses on overall well-being and promotes actions that benefit the majority (Abumere, 2020)
– Provides a practical approach for policy-making, particularly in public health – Encourages cost-effective and evidence-based decisions: Ethical Theory Matrix |
– May overlook the rights, needs, or suffering of minorities
– Consequences can be difficult to predict, leading to unintended negative outcomes – May justify harmful actions if they produce net positive results |
| Kantian Ethics | Decisions are based on adherence to universal moral laws or duties, regardless of the outcomes (Fisher & Dimmock, 2021). Actions are evaluated on whether they conform to these moral duties and respect individuals as ends in themselves rather than means to an end. | A nurse refuses to break patient confidentiality, even when family members pressure them for information about the patient’s condition. The nurse believes that maintaining confidentiality is a moral duty and that violating it would undermine the patient’s dignity and trust. | – Emphasizes individual rights and dignity, promoting respect for all individuals
– Offers a clear and consistent framework for ethical behavior – Does not permit compromising moral principles for expediency (Fisher & Dimmock, 2021) |
– Can be rigid and inflexible, as it does not allow exceptions even in morally complex situations
– Struggles to resolve conflicts between duties, such as confidentiality versus preventing harm. |
| Ross’s Ethics | Decisions are based on prima facie duties, which are moral obligations such as fidelity (keeping promises), beneficence (helping others), and justice (fairness) (Pianalto, 2023). When duties conflict, one must prioritize based on intuition and reasoning to determine the most morally significant duty. | A physician faces a dilemma when a patient wishes to stop life-sustaining treatment (autonomy) while their family requests continued care (beneficence). Using Ross’s ethics, the physician determines that respecting the patient’s autonomy takes precedence, as the patient’s right to decide their own care outweighs the duty to provide beneficence in this case. | – Flexible, allowing consideration of unique circumstances
– Acknowledges the complexity of moral dilemmas by recognizing multiple moral duties (Pianalto, 2023) – Encourages critical thinking and reasoning in ethical decision-making |
– Relies heavily on individual judgment and intuition, which can lead to inconsistencies
– Does not provide a systematic method for resolving conflicts between competing duties – Can feel subjective in application |
| Natural Law Ethics | Decisions are based on aligning actions with natural moral principles and human nature. Ethics is grounded in the belief that all humans are guided by reason to act in ways that promote human flourishing and fulfill their inherent purposes, such as preserving life and promoting well-being (O’Connor, 2024). | A healthcare provider refuses to participate in physician-assisted suicide, even when the patient’s condition is terminal and their suffering severe. The provider believes that such an act violates the natural moral principle of preserving life, which they see as a fundamental part of human flourishing. Instead, the provider focuses on offering palliative care to ease the patient’s suffering within ethical boundaries. | – Rooted in universal principles, offering a consistent and timeless ethical framework
– Promotes human flourishing and emphasizes natural human rights (O’Connor, 2024) – Aligns with many cultural and religious values |
– Can be interpreted differently across cultures or religions, leading to varying applications
– May not effectively address complex modern ethical dilemmas, such as genetic engineering or artificial intelligence in healthcare |
References
Abumere, F. A. (2020, December 9). Utilitarianism. Press.rebus.community; Rebus Community. https://press.rebus.community/intro-to-phil-ethics/chapter/utilitarianism/
Fisher, A., & Dimmock, M. (2021). Kantian ethics. Open.library.okstate.edu; Tulsa Community College. https://open.library.okstate.edu/introphilosophy/chapter/kantian-ethics/
O’Connor, J. D. (2024). What makes an ethical account a natural law ethical account? Contemporary ethics, metaethics, and normative ethics. Studies in Christian Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1177/09539468241233182
Pianalto, M. (2023, July 4). W.D. Ross’s ethics of “Prima Facie” duties. 1000-Word Philosophy: An Introductory Anthology. https://1000wordphilosophy.com/2023/07/03/prima-facie-duties/
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Question 
Identify the professional code of ethics for your professional specialty or a specialty that you are interested in, describe the decision criteria, and analyze each theory using examples and the Ethical Theory Matrix Template.Moral Theories, Principles of Health Care Ethics, and Professional Ethics Codes
These are broad-ranging topics, which, if taken alone, seem almost comically simple. Of course, rational people of legal age should be able to make decisions concerning themselves and their minor children. Of course, medical professionals should be honest with patients, and, of course, patients should be honest with members of their health care teams.
Of course, one’s medical issues should be kept private. But rarely are things as simple as they seem. Take some time to scratch beneath the surface, and we encounter myriad ethical dilemmas.
Honesty tends to be a revered trait in many cultures. However, many people admit to lying occasionally, especially if the intent is to spare someone pain, embarrassment, or anguish. Is lying to someone because of love, concern, or reputation ever ethical?
Privacy and confidentiality are also important concepts. But are there limits? Can the greater good ever outweigh the rights of individuals?
And at what point can others, whether an individual or an entity such as a government body, ethically determine someone’s actions, fate, or choices? Fluoridated water, smoking regulations, compulsory K–12 education, and speed limits are only a few examples of how we, as a society, agree to limited personal freedoms because these things are good for us.
Demonstration of Proficiency
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the course competencies through the following assessment scoring guide criteria:
- Competency 1: Articulate ethical issues in health care.
- Articulate the time-tested theories of ethics.
- Describe the strengths and weaknesses of the time-tested theories of ethics.
- Competency 4: Explain the conceptual framework that health care leaders use to make ethical decisions.
- Identify the decision criteria of the time-tested theories of ethics.
Ethical Theory Matrix
- Identify the decision criteria of the time-tested theories of ethics.
Preparation
As you begin work on your Ethical Theories Matrix assessment, it may be helpful to review the suggested resources focused on moral and ethical considerations. For your own reference, you may want to briefly jot down your thoughts related to:
- An inventory of the basic principles of health care ethics. These principles are nonmaleficence, beneficence, utility, distributive justice, and autonomy.
- An explanation of each principle as well as your own example to illustrate the application of each.
Instructions
Drawing from the material covered in the resources as well as your own research, complete this assessment using the Ethical Theory Matrix Template [DOC] .
- For each theory, first describe the decision criteria. The decision criteria are the instructions the theory gives for how to reach the morally correct choice in a situation that requires action.
- Then, provide your own example of how someone might act using the decision criteria of the theory.
- Finally, briefly describe the strengths and weaknesses of each theory using the last two columns of the Ethical Theory Matrix Template.
The suggested resources for this assessment could help you get a start on completing the matrix, but do not hesitate to use any outside resources that you can find online, the Capella library, or elsewhere.
This matrix is a tool you will use throughout the rest of the course. Submit your completed matrix as an attachment to this assessment.
Refer to the Matrix of Ethical Theories Scoring Guide for more information on how this assessment will be graded.