Budowa i funkcje kodeksu etyki zawodowej na przykładzie Kodeksu etyki lekarskiej
Construction and functions of the code of professional ethics based on the example of the code of medical ethics

Summary/Abstract: In the article, the authors presented a thesis that errors in the construction of a code of professionalethics are important for the function that it fulfils.The subject of the analysis was a code of medical ethics and, to a lesser extent, codes of professionalethics of other medical professions: a nurse and midwife, a laboratory diagnostician,a pharmacist, and a paramedic. Particular attention has been paid to the apparent ethical obligations,that is, those which instead of the main purpose of ethical action (human good) indicateother goals of action (human rights, deontology, dignity of the profession).In addition, the error of the code of professional ethics is to put the best interests of membersof the profession above the good of the man for whom the profession works, e.g. a patient. Thisis the case when the norms of such code are in the form of an obligation but do not actuallymean an obligation to act – when the norm is a request for action and not an order of action.It was indicated that there are two main models of ethics, including professional, personalisticand utilitarian ethics. The utilitarian model of the codex is limited to few standards andsometimes its need is questioned at all. The codex according to the personalist model requiresa hierarchical construction. Depending on the preferred ethical model, the understanding of thehighest human good changes fundamentally, therefore both models should not be mixed up.

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