Critique of a professional Code of Ethics
Introduction
This section contains a summary of the ethical conduct for employees of MACPAC (The Mid-Atlantic Consolidated Patient Account Center).
As a departmental agency within the Department of Veterans Affairs in Ashville, North Carolina. MACPAC recently formed an ethics to revise the Fourteen Principles of Ethical Conduct (See appendix A). These principles form the core of the standard of ethical conduct for MACPAC personnel to follow.
The code of ethics is a set of guidelines as well as organization formulates to help its staff as well as management in the conduct of their actions in accordance with the primary values as well as ethical standards. Cooper (2012) argues, “Ethic’s laws generally…show more content… However the difference between a code of ethics and a code of conduct is often unclear in its usage, nonetheless there is a difference. A code of ethics is an attempt by an organization to codify the values within the organization by telling its employees of what is right and what is wrong as a guide to decision making. Often as a social or moral guide than a way of dictating behavior. Whereas, code of conduct are specific rules that outline specific practices and behaviors to be encouraged or prohibited. Jacobs states, “Code of ethics improves upon the quality of life, not only for themselves, also for members of their groups, organizations as well as societies” (Jacobs, 2013a). Both codes promote ethical behavior among members of a group as well as individuals. The need for employees of the organization to understand the difference between code of ethics and code of conduct is imperative. Therefore, applying a theoretical perspective can help to strengthen the codes…show more content… This is why rules are enforced. The rules only apply if other people follow them.
• Morality is impartial, that there is no greater weight to their own interest than in the interest of others. Moreover the awareness that they will not expect others to follow where rational people will not agree to rules so demanding others won’t follow them.
Utilitarianism Theory
When an ethical agent is trying to identify the utmost ethical decision they must look at the consequences of the available alternatives. If they have exhausted all options while using reason and deliberation, afterwards their decision works out poorly, they still deserve ethical credit for trying.
Classical Utilitarianism as stated by Rachels and Rachels (2015), can be summed up in three principles;
1. The morality of an action depends solely on the consequences of the action; nothing else matters.
2. An action’s consequences matter only insofar as they involve the greater or lesser happiness of