Språk: Bokmål Nynorsk Sámegiella English
These ethical guidelines are intended for unionized healthcare workers. We are, both as unionized workers and as healthcare professionals, obligated to abide by the professions’ ethical traditions and by the ideological basis of the labour movement. This means that one is obligated to act according to the principles of consideration, solidarity and unity.
These guidelines are intended to motivate and commit healthcare workers to, to the best of their abilities, provide professionally sound and caring healthcare to anyone that needs it.
Our ethical principles do not only apply to our own practice. As healthcare workers and union members we are also committed to work towards a healthcare service that has political and economic conditions that make ethical and responsible healthcare possible. We are also committed to the international traditions of the labour movement, which obliges us to work to better the terms for all healthcare workers and people that need healthcare throughout the world.
1. Our values
All people have the same value, the same inviolable rights, the same right to a life free from unnecessary pain or suffering and a dignified death. As healthcare professionals and trade union members, we are committed to working to ensure that all people have these requirements and rights fulfilled.
1.1 All people are equal.
1.2 All people should be met with respect and consideration, regardless of age, disability, illness, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender and gender expression, religion/life philosophy, political beliefs, social status or economy.
1.3 Everyone has a right to healthcare. Healthcare workers must, within the confines of applicable law and agreements, do their utmost to see to that everyone gets necessary healthcare. Where there is inequality, healthcare workers must work to change this.
1.4 Healthcare workers must oppose all forms of discrimination.
2. Ethics and ethical practice
Ethical guidelines, law, life philosophy and religion and common perceptions on right and wrong are sources for ethical practice, but not enough in itself. Ethical practice is achieved through reflection, discussion and dialogue. It is about becoming aware of one's own attitudes and values, and learning how these are and should be expressed in encounters with others
2.1 All employees that work in healthcare must be given time, space and the opportunity to ethically reflect on their own practice.
2.2 All employees that work in healthcare must be given access to training, continuing education and further education with an emphasis on ethics.
3. Responsible practice
Responsible practice is about knowing one's own competence, acknowledging the competence of others, and always striving to work based on relevant and up-to-date knowledge. This includes a commitment to stay up to date on research and developments in one's field and to be willing to undertake continuing or further education.
3.1 Healthcare workers must make sure that all patients receive professionally sound and caring healthcare. Healthcare workers must actively relieve pain and suffering, promote health, and offer effective treatment.
3.2 Healthcare must be based on recognized methods and knowledge.
3.3 Healthcare workers must not exploit professional titles for personal gain.
3.4 Healthcare workers must prevent patients from being exposed to unnecessary medical procedures and treatment.
3.5 Healthcare workers must work to get the most out of the limited resources we have available, and make sure that those with the most severe conditions and greatest needs are cared for.
3.6 Healthcare workers must seek help from others in situations where their own skills are not sufficient. If someone asks for help, contribute.
3.7 Healthcare workers must notify about problematic conditions. Loyalty to the patient takes precedence over loyalty to the employer and colleagues.
3.8 Patients and service users’ privacy must be respected.
3.9 Healthcare workers must clearly distinguish between personal and professional relationships and never take advantage of a patient or service user in any way – neither emotionally, sexually nor economically.
3.10 Healthcare workers must comply with the duty of confidentiality and ensure that information remains confidential. Patients and service users should be confident in that information will never be used for any other purpose than to provide healthcare, without explicit consent.
3.11 Healthcare workers must prevent unauthorized access to electronic patient records and other digital information, and alert if they suspect weaknesses in ICT security.
3.12 Healthcare workers must provide patients, service users and their next of kin with necessary information, and that the information is provided in a manner that is adapted to the individual's prerequisites (language, cognitive function, etc.).
3.13 Healthcare workers must use social media responsibly and prevent the spread of incorrect health advice.
3.14 Healthcare workers must prevent patients, patient information and next of kin from being exploited for economical or other gain.
3.15 Consent should be the basis for healthcare. Healthcare workers must seek to avoid the use of coercion or coercive means, and work to change processes and routines that fail to sufficiently respect patients and service users' autonomy.
3.16 Healthcare workers must respect people’s integrity, also after death.
4. Colleagues
The community at work provide the basis for responsible practice, for mastery and professional development, for belonging and growth as both humans and professionals. Responsible practice is not possible without a good collegial community and a supportive working environment.
4.1 Faced with difficult situations, colleagues must help each other. One should make sure that colleagues in need of professional help gets it.
4.2 Healthcare workers must share their knowledge and contribute to improve the skills of their colleagues.
4.3 Healthcare workers must meet their colleagues with respect, and treat each other as equals, regardless of education and skills.
5. International solidarity
Solidarity is not the same as charity. Solidarity stems from the recognition that we all have fundamental common interests and that we are dependent on each other, even across borders and countries. As unionized healthcare workers we are a part of the international traditions of the labour movement.
5.1 Healthcare workers seek to ensure that the right to healthcare applies to all people, regardless of national borders.
5.2 Healthcare workers must, even in times of war and conflict, be able to provide healthcare to all who need it, without having to fear for their own life, for being persecuted or being bereaved of their freedom.
5.3 Healthcare workers seek international cooperation that may contribute towards access to healthcare for all people and that can strengthen the handling of global health issues.
5.4 Healthcare workers seek to share knowledge, science and professional developments across borders.
5.5 Healthcare workers are obligated to work against commercial interests that seek to limit cooperation across borders, for instance through limitations on poorer countries’ access to vaccines or other treatment methods.
5.6 Healthcare workers are obligated to work to ensure that international treaties and cooperation respect each nation’s right to provide healthcare for their people.
5.7 Healthcare workers must not contribute to the recruitment of healthcare workers from other countries that have a need for said workers.
5.8 Healthcare workers must work towards achieving the UN sustainable development goals.
