Module 1: Assignment: Glossary by Arturo Trevino

Credentialing

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:05:40 UTC

The administrative process of collecting, verifying, and assessing the qualifications of a licensed professional. It demonstrates that an individual is qualified to perform specific clinical activities based on their training and experience.

Licensure

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:07:17 UTC

The legal process by which a governmental authority, such as a state board of nursing, grants a qualified individual permission to perform activities that would be illegal to perform without a license. This is a mandatory requirement for practicing as a nurse.

Certification

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:07:49 UTC

A voluntary process where a non-governmental agency or association grants formal recognition to an individual who has met specific, predetermined qualifications in a specialty area of nursing.

Accreditation

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:08:27 UTC

A process that applies to institutions, not individuals. An accrediting body (like the JCAHO) judges a healthcare organization or academic program against established standards of safety, performance, and quality

Nurse Practice Act

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:09:08 UTC

State-level laws that establish a board of nursing and define the legal scope of nursing practice. These acts set the standards for the profession and give the board the authority to discipline nurses who fail to meet those standards or act unprofessionally.

Informed Consent

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:12:03 UTC

The principle that a patient must receive sufficient information about their treatment options to make a reasoned choice. This right is based on the ethical principle of autonomy and is fundamental to patient-centered care

Autonomy

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:13:31 UTC

The ethical principle affirming that competent individuals have the right to self-determination and to make their own choices regarding their healthcare. It requires that healthcare providers respect patients' decisions, which forms the basis for informed consent and truthfulness.

Beneficence

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:14:20 UTC

The ethical principle that calls for actions that promote the welfare and well-being of others. It involves actively helping people, preventing harm, and removing conditions that cause harm.

Nonmaleficence

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:15:02 UTC

The ethical principle of "do no harm." This obligates healthcare professionals to avoid actions that cause pain, suffering, incapacitation, or deprive people of the things they value

Justice

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:15:40 UTC

The ethical principle concerned with fairness and the equitable distribution of resources, such as healthcare services. It stands against discrimination and advocates for fair treatment for all.

Privacy

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:16:15 UTC

The right of an individual to control their personal conduct and information. The right to privacy is the foundation for a patient's individual rights and is protected by the principle of confidentiality.

Confidentiality

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:16:35 UTC

The ethical and legal obligation of healthcare providers to protect a patient's private information and not disseminate it without their express permission.

Medical Paternalism

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:17:27 UTC

A practice where a healthcare provider forces or unduly influences a person to do something against their will, justified by the belief that it is for the person's own benefit. This approach directly conflicts with the principle of patient autonomy.

Morality

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:18:03 UTC

The standards of behavior held by an individual or group concerning what constitutes right and wrong action.

Ethics

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:18:33 UTC

The systematic study and application of moral principles. In nursing, it provides a structured approach to making decisions in complex situations.

ANA Code of Ethics for Nursing

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:18:51 UTC

A foundational document from the American Nurses Association (ANA) that establishes the ethical standard for the nursing profession. It provides a guide for nurses to carry out their responsibilities in a manner consistent with quality in nursing care and the ethical obligations of the profession.

Utilitarianism

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:19:53 UTC

A type of consequentialist theory stating that actions are right if they tend to promote happiness and wrong if they produce the reverse. It dictates that we should act to maximize pleasure and minimize pain.

Greatest Happiness Principle

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:20:30 UTC

The core tenet of Utilitarianism. It holds that the best moral action is the one that produces the greatest amount of happiness for the largest number of people.

Act Consequentialism

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:20:53 UTC

A form of consequentialism that evaluates each individual action based on the consequences of the available alternatives in that specific situation.

Rule Consequentialism

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:21:41 UTC

A form of consequentialism that evaluates types of actions. It holds that an action is right if it conforms to a rule that, if universally followed, would lead to the best overall consequences

Categorical Imperative Principle

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:22:16 UTC

A principle from Kant's deontological theory stating: "Act only on that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it become a universal law." It proposes that if an action cannot be universalized for all people, it is immoral.

Kant’s Respect Principle

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:22:34 UTC

A core deontological principle stating that humans should never be treated merely as a means to an end, but always as ends in themselves, recognizing their inherent worth and dignity.

Principlism

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:23:16 UTC

A widely used ethical framework in bioethics that connects moral theory to clinical practice. It is grounded in four key principles: respect for autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice

The Ethic of Care

arturotjr — 2025-06-12 05:23:46 UTC

An ethical approach that moves away from a focus on strict rules and individual rights toward a concern for establishing and preserving good relationships. It emphasizes concepts like compassion, mutual well-being, and responsiveness to the needs of others as central to moral problem-solving