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Preamble
The Code of Ethics of the Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists provides guidance to pharmacists making ethical decisions. It educates pharmacists about their ethical duties and obligations and serves as a tool for self-evaluation and peer review. The Code advises other health care professionals and the public of the values and moral commitments expected of pharmacists.
As the practice of pharmacy evolves, factors such as economic restraints and increased technology challenge the ability of pharmacists to practice ethically. This Code provides pharmacists with direction for ensuring ethical decision making. The issues involved in this decision making have both legal and ethical dimensions. Laws and ethics of pharmacy practice overlap and, in ideal situations, are compatible. Both are concerned with the conduct of pharmacists and with the well-being of the public. However, the domains of pharmacy law and ethics are distinct, and this Code, while prepared with awareness of the law, addresses ethical obligations.
Value I
Pharmacists hold the health and safety of each patient to be of primary consideration.
- Pharmacists have specialized knowledge about medicines, health related products, and medicinal and nonmedicinal therapies and are expected to use this knowledge to benefit their patients.
- Pharmacists are aware of the limitations of their knowledge and skills and refer patients to appropriate health care professionals when they are unable to meet the needs of their patients.
- Pharmacists supply only prescription and nonprescription medicines and health related products that are safe, effective and of good quality.
Value II
Pharmacists form a professional relationship with each patient.
- Pharmacists respect the professional relationship with the patient and act with honesty, integrity and compassion.
- Pharmacists determine the patient’s needs, values and desired outcomes.
- Pharmacists seek to involve their patients in the decisions regarding their health.
Value III
Pharmacists honour the autonomy, values and dignity of each patient.
- Pharmacists provide their patients with information that is truthful, accurate and understandable so that the patients are able to make informed choices about their health care.
- Pharmacists are committed to each patient regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age or health.
- Pharmacists respect the informed decisions of competent patients who choose to refuse treatment/services and live at risk.
- Pharmacists respect the dignity of patients with diminished competence and seek to involve them, to an appropriate extent, in decisions regarding their health.
Value IV
Pharmacists respect and protect the patient’s right of confidentiality.
- Pharmacists keep confidential all information acquired in the course of professional practice.
- Pharmacists may disclose prescription information for ethical reasons (e.g. scientific research) only if the information will not identify the patient.
- Confidential information is disclosed only in cases where the patient (or the patient’s agent) provides consent, where the law demands or where disclosure will protect the patient or others from harm.
Value V
Pharmacists respect the rights of patients to receive pharmacy services and ensure these rights are met.
- Pharmacists who are unable to provide prescribed medicines or services to their patients shall take reasonable steps to ensure these medicines/services are provided and the patients’ care is not jeopardized.
- Pharmacists who are unwilling to provide prescribed medicines or services to patients because of moral or religious reasons shall inform pharmacy management of their objections at the onset of employment. Pharmacy management shall provide reasonable accommodation of the pharmacist’s right of conscience and develop an alternate means of providing the medicines or services. The alternate means shall be timely and convenient for the patient.
- Pharmacists have a duty, through communication and co-ordination, to ensure the continuity of care of patients during pharmacy relocation/closure, job action, natural disasters or situations where continuity of care may be problematic.
Value VI
Pharmacists observe the law, preserve high professional standards and uphold the dignity and honour of the profession.
- Pharmacists obey the laws, regulations, standards and policies of the profession, both in letter and in spirit.
- Pharmacists do not condone breaches of the law, regulations, standards or policies by colleagues, co-workers or owners of a pharmacy and report, without fear, such breaches.
- Pharmacists accept the ethical principles of the profession and do not engage in activity that will bring discredit to the profession.
- Pharmacists do not condone unethical conduct by colleagues, co-workers or owner of a pharmacy and expose, without fear, such conduct.
- Pharmacists do not abuse drugs/alcohol, do not condone the abuse of drugs/alcohol by colleagues or co-workers and report, without fear, such abuse.
- Pharmacists do not practice under conditions which compromise their freedom to exercise professional judgement or which cause a deterioration of the quality of their professional service or care.
- Pharmacists do not seek more than fair and reasonable remuneration for their professional services.
- Pharmacists do not enter into arrangements with prescribers that could affect the prescriber’s independent professional judgement in prescribing or that could interfere with the patient’s right of choice of a pharmacy.
- Pharmacists do not accept inducements from suppliers that could reasonably be perceived as affecting the pharmacist’s independent professional judgement.
- Pharmacists advertise and promote themselves only via methods which uphold the dignity and honour of the profession and which are within the boundaries of pharmacy law.
Value VII
Pharmacists continuously improve their levels of professional knowledge and skills.
- Pharmacists assume the responsibility of continually evaluating and improving their professional competence.
Value VIII
Pharmacists cooperate with colleagues and other health care professionals so that maximum benefits to patients can be realized.
- Pharmacists respect the values and abilities of colleagues and other health care professionals.
- Keeping confidentiality in mind, pharmacists consult with colleagues or other health care professionals to benefit the patient. If appropriate, pharmacists refer their patients to other health care professionals or agencies.
- Pharmacists maintain professional relationships with colleagues and ensure patients’ needs are met when supplying colleagues with transfer copies of prescriptions, inventory, etc.
Value IX
Pharmacists participate in the enhancement of the profession of pharmacy.
- Pharmacists associate with organizations that strive to improve the profession of pharmacy.
- Pharmacists contribute to the future of the profession by participating, willingly and diligently, in the education of students and candidates for registration.
Value X
Pharmacists contribute to the health care system and to societal health needs.
- Pharmacists support positive changes in the health care system by actively influencing and participating in health policy development, review and revision.
- Pharmacists support cost-effective therapies.
- Pharmacists support the prudent use of health care resources.
- Pharmacists participate in programs to educate the public about health.
- Pharmacists foster the advancement of knowledge by supporting appropriate research projects, wherever possible.
- Pharmacists support environmental issues related to pharmacy by promoting the safe disposal of drugs and related products.
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