Over the years, principles of ethical conduct have developed in healthcare. In laboratory science, principles and standards by which laboratory professionals and students have evolved to include:
- Duty to the patient
- Duty to colleagues and the profession
- Duty to society
Professional licensing boards and certifying organizations often include a "pledge to the profession." This pledge may include the above duties. For example, the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) pledge includes1:
- Placing patients’ welfare above the needs and desires of the lab professional.
- Ensuring that each patient receives safe, effective, efficient, timely, equitable, and patient-centered care.
- Maintaining dignity and respect for the profession.
- Promoting the advancement of the profession.
- Ensuring collegial relationships within the clinical laboratory and with other patient care providers.
- Improving access to laboratory services.
- Promoting equitable distribution of healthcare resources.
- Complying with laws and regulations and protecting patients from others’ incompetent or illegal practices.
- Changing conditions where necessary to advance the best interests of patients.
This course will go well beyond the basic ethics pledge to include a discussion of ethics and the code of conduct in healthcare.
