AUD 743 - Ethics in Audiology

3 credit hours

Ethics is the branch of philosophy that deals with the study and evaluation of human conduct in light of moral principles, which may be viewed as the individual’s standard of conduct, or as a body of social obligations and duties (Institute of Chiropractic Ethics.) Audiology, in its transition to a doctoring profession, is faced with redefining many ethical principles to reflect current state of the art and clinical practice realities. Ethical obligations may not reflect personal beliefs, but audiologists have a professional obligation to be responsible for, and abide by, the ethical standards of the associations and organizations to which they belong. ASHA, AAA, ADA and other professional organizations have adopted codes of ethics that set forth standards of integrity and ethical principles for their members. The codes call for certain behaviors in specific situations, but cannot be expected to cover every situation that calls for ethical behavior. In this class, we will examine the “spirit” of the codes as well as the “letter,” and establish a framework for ethical decision making. Multicultural aspects of patient care and issues related to disparities in healthcare will also be presented.