RE: Change of pace discussion

[Guest guest]

You just touched on one of the scariest courses I took - ethics. I was

in a class with a bunch of counselors who proceeded to tell me their

ethics came from the piece of paper their professional

organization/certifying body produced. My argument was that our ethics

come from within each of us as we decide what is right, what is wrong

and how we make decisions in that gray area that lies in the middle.

Ethics from a professional body is just what is written on a piece of

paper that can be changed from leader to leader (same as from a medical

director, governmental body, etc.) These are fluid and can be very

situational. True ethics comes from ourselves as we decide what beliefs

and actions are moral and immoral and how we apply them in our daily

lives and work. The key is to be able to match the ethical statements of

my profession to my personal ethics in a way that supports both and to

know when to walk away when they aren't in sync.

Barry

Barry Sharp, MSHP, CHES

Tobacco Prevention & Control Program Coordinator

Substance Abuse Program Unit

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division

________________________________

From: texasems-l [mailto:texasems-l ] On

Behalf Of ExLngHrn@...

Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 10:26 AM

To: texasems-l

Subject: Change of pace discussion

Since we've beat one horse to death (again), I decided to throw out a

topic for all of us to ponder:

What are our professional ethics as EMS providers?? In other words, do

we just follow the directives of our medical direction and employers??

Or is there a point at which we have the individual duty to object?? If

so, what is that point?

-Wes Ogilvie, MPA, JD, Lic.P./NREMT-P

-Attorney at Law/Licensed Paramedic/EMS Instructor

-Austin, Texas

[Guest guest]

So are you saying that applied ethics are a waste of time?

LaChance

>>> On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 10:43 AM, in message

44B6C07D1B0F6947853EB1BBED5E9521049EF571@...>, " Sharp,

Barry " barry.sharp@...> wrote:

You just touched on one of the scariest courses I took - ethics. I was

in a class with a bunch of counselors who proceeded to tell me their

ethics came from the piece of paper their professional

organization/certifying body produced. My argument was that our ethics

come from within each of us as we decide what is right, what is wrong

and how we make decisions in that gray area that lies in the middle.

Ethics from a professional body is just what is written on a piece of

paper that can be changed from leader to leader (same as from a medical

director, governmental body, etc.) These are fluid and can be very

situational. True ethics comes from ourselves as we decide what beliefs

and actions are moral and immoral and how we apply them in our daily

lives and work. The key is to be able to match the ethical statements of

my profession to my personal ethics in a way that supports both and to

know when to walk away when they aren't in sync.

Barry

Barry Sharp, MSHP, CHES

Tobacco Prevention & Control Program Coordinator

Substance Abuse Program Unit

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division

________________________________

From: texasems-l ( mailto:texasems-l%40yahoogroups.com )

[mailto:texasems-l ( mailto:texasems-l%40yahoogroups.com )] On

Behalf Of ExLngHrn@... ( mailto:ExLngHrn%40aol.com )

Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 10:26 AM

To: texasems-l ( mailto:texasems-l%40yahoogroups.com )

Subject: Change of pace discussion

Since we've beat one horse to death (again), I decided to throw out a

topic for all of us to ponder:

What are our professional ethics as EMS providers?? In other words, do

we just follow the directives of our medical direction and employers??

Or is there a point at which we have the individual duty to object?? If

so, what is that point?

-Wes Ogilvie, MPA, JD, Lic.P./NREMT-P

-Attorney at Law/Licensed Paramedic/EMS Instructor

-Austin, Texas

[Guest guest]

Very few EMS programs teach ethics. It may be in the curriculum, and most

might read the powerpoints in Ch. __ of the textbook. But, are scenarios and

critical Socratic chairs practiced in most education programs? Most likely not.

What about CE?? How many CE programs out there ever focus on ethics?? If

educators would be required to actually take academic courses in ethics, maybe

we could get to a better level.

-MH

________________________________

From: texasems-l [texasems-l ] On Behalf Of

ExLngHrn@... [ExLngHrn@...]

Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 10:26 AM

To: texasems-l

Subject: Change of pace discussion

Since we've beat one horse to death (again), I decided to throw out a topic for

all of us to ponder:

What are our professional ethics as EMS providers?? In other words, do we just

follow the directives of our medical direction and employers?? Or is there a

point at which we have the individual duty to object?? If so, what is that

point?

-Wes Ogilvie, MPA, JD, Lic.P./NREMT-P

-Attorney at Law/Licensed Paramedic/EMS Instructor

-Austin, Texas