Medical Ethics Course
Course Description
Medical Ethics for Healthcare Professionals (New Zealand) is a CPD course designed to help practitioners understand, apply, and evidence ethical decision-making in clinical practice.
In New Zealand, regulators such as the MCNZ, NCNZ, Pharmacy Council, Dental Council, and HPCA authorities emphasise that ethical conduct is at the heart of safe healthcare. Ethical failures — whether in consent, confidentiality, probity, or professional boundaries — can lead to complaints, harm to patients, and fitness-to-practise (FtP) proceedings.
This course explores the principles of medical ethics, regulator expectations, and practical strategies for applying ethics in everyday clinical situations. It provides tools for reflection, remediation, and embedding ethical reasoning into daily practice and long-term professional identity.
Course Content
Course Objectives
Course Objectives
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Section 1: Introduction — Why Medical Ethics Matters in New Zealand Healthcare
1.1 Why Ethics Matters for Patients
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1.2 Why Ethics Matters for Regulators
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1.3 Why Ethics Matters for the Profession
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1.4 Ethics Beyond Compliance
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1.5 Reflective Quiz
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Section 2: Core Principles of Medical Ethics — Autonomy, Beneficence, Non-maleficence, Justice, and Probity
2.1 Autonomy
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2.2 Beneficence
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2.3 Non-maleficence
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2.4 Justice
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2.5 Probity
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2.6 How the Principles Work Together
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2.7 Reflective Quiz
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Section 3: Regulator Perspectives — MCNZ, NCNZ, Pharmacy Council, Dental Council, HPCA Authorities
3.1 Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ)
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3.2 Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ)
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3.3 Pharmacy Council of New Zealand
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3.4 Dental Council of New Zealand
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3.5 HPCA Authorities (Allied Health Professions)
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3.6 Shared Regulator Themes
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3.7 Reflective Quiz
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Section 4: Consent and Confidentiality as Ethical Duties
4.1 Consent
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4.2 Confidentiality
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4.3 Why Consent and Confidentiality are Central
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4.4 Consequences of Breaches
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4.5 Practical Strategies for Compliance
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4.6 Reflective Quiz
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Section 5: Ethical Boundaries in Clinical Relationships
5.1 Sexual Boundaries
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5.2 Financial Boundaries
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5.3 Emotional Boundaries
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5.4 Digital Boundaries
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5.5 Collegial Boundaries
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5.6 Why Boundaries Matter in Clinical Ethics
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5.7 Reflective Quiz
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Section 6: Case Studies — Ethical Dilemmas in New Zealand Practice
6.1 Medicine — Consent and Autonomy
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6.2 Nursing — Confidentiality
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6.3 Pharmacy — Probity
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6.4 Dentistry — Financial Ethics
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6.5 Allied Health — Boundary Management
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6.6 Shared Lessons from Case Studies
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6.7 Reflective Quiz
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Section 7: Weak vs Strong Ethical Responses in Regulator Cases
7.1 Characteristics of Weak Ethical Responses
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7.2 Characteristics of Strong Ethical Responses
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7.3 Case Comparison — Medicine (Consent)
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7.4 Case Comparison — Nursing (Professional Respect)
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7.5 Case Comparison — Dentistry (Financial Probity)
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7.6 Why Strong Responses Persuade Regulators
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7.7 Reflective Quiz
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Section 8: Using Reflection and Insight to Strengthen Ethical Practice
8.1 What Reflection Means in Ethical Practice
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8.2 What Insight Means in Ethical Practice
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8.3 Reflection + Insight = Ethical Assurance
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8.4 Structured Models for Ethical Reflection
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8.5 Why Regulators Value Reflection and Insight
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8.6 Practical Tips for Strengthening Ethical Practice
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8.7 Reflective Quiz
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Section 9: Embedding Ethics into Daily Clinical Decision-Making and Professional Identity
9.1 Ethics as Part of Professional Identity
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9.2 Daily Ethical Decision-Making
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9.3 Mentorship and Role Modelling
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9.4 Building Resilience for Ethical Clarity
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9.5 Ethics Across a Career
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9.6 Reflective Quiz
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Section 10: Conclusion and Key Takeaways
Conclusion and Key Takeaways
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Post-Course Assessment
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