A comparative analysis of moral principles and behavioral norms in eight ethical codes relevant to health sciences librarianship,medical informatics,and the health professions

Objective:

Based on the authors'' shared interest in the interprofessional challenges surrounding health information management, this study explores the degree to which librarians, informatics professionals, and core health professionals in medicine, nursing, and public health share common ethical behavior norms grounded in moral principles.

Methods:

Using the “Principlism” framework from a widely cited textbook of biomedical ethics, the authors analyze the statements in the ethical codes for associations of librarians (Medical Library Association [MLA], American Library Association, and Special Libraries Association), informatics professionals (American Medical Informatics Association [AMIA] and American Health Information Management Association), and core health professionals (American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, and American Public Health Association). This analysis focuses on whether and how the statements in these eight codes specify core moral norms (Autonomy, Beneficence, Non-Maleficence, and Justice), core behavioral norms (Veracity, Privacy, Confidentiality, and Fidelity), and other norms that are empirically derived from the code statements.

Results:

These eight ethical codes share a large number of common behavioral norms based most frequently on the principle of Beneficence, then on Autonomy and Justice, but rarely on Non-Maleficence. The MLA and AMIA codes share the largest number of common behavioral norms, and these two associations also share many norms with the other six associations.

Implications:

The shared core of behavioral norms among these professions, all grounded in core moral principles, point to many opportunities for building effective interprofessional communication and collaboration regarding the development, management, and use of health information resources and technologies.     

Web 2.0 Tools Ease Renovation Service Disruptions at The Ohio State University Libraries

ABSTARCT

The Thompson Library, the main library of The Ohio State University (OSU), began a major renovation in fall 2006 that required the library to close for three years. During this time, the bulk of the circulating collection and many of the personnel relocated to an interim facility. The distance imposed by the renovation created special challenges for service to patrons and communication among library faculty and staff. The OSU Libraries used blogs, podcasts, a wiki, instant messaging, and the campus course management system to reach as many of the constituents of the campus community as possible.     

Notes on contributors

The author participated in the Border Studies Program in the fall semester of 1999. He carried out his field study as a volunteer at Casa Vides in El Paso, Texas. Grounded in the same philosophical principles as the Catholic Worker movement, Casa Vides serves as a shelter for immigrants who are involved in political asylum proceedings in the United States. Because all of the residents of the intentional community of Casa Vides experienced militarization in their home countries and on the Mexico-U.S. border, this ethnography examines the themes of ''community'' and ''militarization'' and the dynamics between the two.     

The Use of Occupational Images in Counselor Supervision

Counselor supervision occurs during a critical stage when counselors‐in‐training (CITs) are actively developing their career self‐concept as they adapt to professional life and responsibilities. This article provides an application of a narrative approach for supervisors helping CITs understand how their personal occupational images interplay with adjusting to the work environment. With this understanding, CITs are able to identify aspects of the professional career image that they want to develop and portray in their pursuit of a career in counseling.     

Addressing Needs of Employers,Older Workers,and Retirees: An Educational Approach

The Retirement Research Foundation of Chicago supported a collaborative to collect demographic data about working and aging, conduct a survey of older job seekers, and interview businesses in the region to assess their awareness and attitudes about mature workers. The 2005 project was titled the 60 + Success Project. A regional task force oversaw the research components and product development. Data collection occurred through 13 focus groups, individual interviews with private, public and nonprofit sector leaders, surveying of mature and aging job seekers, and online surveying of employers. Based upon this multipronged methodology, four major products were produced: Report and Key Findings; Human Resources Handbook and Curriculum; Opportunities for Mature Workers (brochure); and Mature Worker Profile. These products are the first steps toward better understanding the needs of older workers and shaping an action plan for this region. They can serve as catalysts to spur similar educational efforts in other parts of the country.     

Factors associated with concussion-symptom knowledge and attitudes toward concussion care seeking in a national survey of parents of middle-school children in the US

Background:Developing appropriate concussion prevention and management paradigms in middle school(MS)settings requires understanding parents’general levels of concussion-related knowledge and attitudes.This study examined factors associated with concussion-symptom knowledge and care-seeking attitudes among parents of MS children(aged 10-15 years).Methods:A panel of 1224 randomly selected U.S.residents,aged ≥18 years and identifying as parents of MS children,completed an online questionnaire capturing parental and child characteristics.The parents’concussion-symptom knowledge was measured using 25 questions,with possible answers being“yes”,“maybe”,and“no”.Correct answers earned 2 points,“maybe”answers earned 1 point,and incorrect answers earned 0 point(range:0-50;higher scores=better knowledge).Concussion care-seeking attitudes were also collected using five 7-point scale items(range:5-35;higher scores=more positive attitudes).Multivariable ordinal logistic regression models identified predictors of higher scores.Models met proportional odds assumptions.Adjusted odds ratios(aORs)with 95%confidence intervals(95%CIs)(excluding 1.00)were deemed statistically significant.Results:Median scores were 39(interquartile range:32-44)for symptom knowledge and 32(interquartile range:28-35)for care-seeking attitude.In multivariable models,odds of better symptom knowledge were higher in women vs.men(aOR=2.28;95%CI:1.71-3.05),white/non-Hispanics vs.other racial or ethnic groups(aOR=1.88;95%CI:1.42-2.49),higher parental age(10-year-increase aOR=1.47;95%CI:1.26-1.71),and greater competitiveness(10%-scale-increase aOR=1.24;95%CI:1.13-1.36).Odds of more positive care-seeking attitudes were higher in white/non-Hispanics vs.other racial or ethnic groups(aOR=1.45;95%CI:1.06-1.99)and in older parental age(10-year-increase aOR=1.24;95%CI:1.05-1.47).Conclusion:Characteristics of middle school children’s parents(e.g.,sex,race or ethnicity,age)are associated with their concussion-symptom knowledge and care-seeking attitudes.Parents’variations in concussion knowledge and attitudes warrant tailored concussion education and prevention.     

Media as social partners: the social nature of young children's learning from screen media

Television has become a nearly ubiquitous feature in children's cultural landscape. A review of the research into young children's learning from television indicates that the likelihood that children will learn from screen media is influenced by their developing social relationships with on-screen characters, as much as by their developing perception of the screen and their symbolic understanding and comprehension of information presented on screen. Considering the circumstances in which children under 6 years learn from screen media can inform teachers, parents, and researchers about the important nature of social interaction in early learning and development. The findings reviewed in this article suggest the social nature of learning, even learning from screen media.