E31: Ethical Care

A close-up of an elderly couple holding hands on a wooden table, signifying love and companionship.

Course Overview

CE Hours

3 CE Credits

Course Description

Ethical Care examines the ethical principles and professional conduct standards that guide health care providers in delivering the best possible care to patients. Drawing from care ethics theory and the Indian Health Service ethical framework, this course explores the history and major authors of care ethics, the basic principles of ethical conduct for health care providers, the standards governing provider-patient relationships, confidentiality, colleague relationships, treatment modalities, and the consequences of inappropriate conduct. Learners will develop the ability to identify the characteristics of care ethics, describe integrated ethics, and apply care ethics in various professional relationships.

Course Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, learners will be able to:

  1. Describe the origins and development of care ethics as both a personal and political theory
  2. Identify key authors and perspectives that have shaped the field of care ethics including Gilligan, Noddings, Baier, Held, Kittay, Ruddick, and Tronto
  3. Explain the basic ethical principles that guide health care providers within the Indian Health Service framework
  4. Describe appropriate professional boundaries in provider-patient relationships
  5. Identify the conditions under which patient confidentiality may be legally and ethically disclosed
  6. Explain the ethical standards governing relationships between coworkers and colleagues in health care settings
  7. Describe ethical guidelines for treatment and assessment modalities including culturally sensitive care for American Indian and Alaska Native patients
  8. Identify the consequences of unethical conduct for health care providers

Course Format and Faculty

Course Format:

Online linked resources and lectures available anytime, 24/7. Includes one multiple-choice exam taken at the end of the course. Upon passing, learners may print their certificate immediately.

Course Developers and Instructors:

R. Klimes, PhD, MPH (Johns Hopkins University) is a scholar and author in health-related research, health behaviors, ethics, end-of-life care, and overall wellness. He has written numerous research reports and books and has held academic and leadership roles in higher education and public health internationally.

Course Time:

About three hours for online study, test taking with course evaluation feedback and certificate printing.