We Have a Code of Ethics? Why Organizational Codes of Ethics are Important and How to Make them Better

This workshop highlights the importance of organizational codes of ethics—as distinct from professional codes of ethics—for healthcare organizations and bioethics generally. Codes of ethics are integral parts of many nonprofit organizations, but healthcare workers tend to focus primarily on professional codes instead, for good reason. Healthcare organizations may be large and fragmented and decision-making can seem opaque. In these situations, employees might feel more connection to their profession than to their organization. Further, organizational ethics codes are not always a priority for leadership in healthcare organizations, so they cannot play a significant role in individual decision-making.

In this workshop, participants will read through and compare organizational codes of ethics with professional codes of ethics. We will discuss what function organizational codes can play beyond professional codes, including bringing different professions together and creating a sense of organizational unity and belonging. In breakouts, participants will brainstorm ways for organizations to modify their codes of ethics to increase participation, feedback, and uptake by employees.