professional ethics.
The codes and guidelines which govern the conduct of professions. Such codes can be seen as the application of general morality to the specific contexts of professional relationships. The oldest and most familiar of these is the Hippocratic oath, which in a modified form still applies to the doctor–patient relationship. In the contemporary world many occupations consider themselves professions, and the governing bodies of these occupations issue codes of professional ethics. They have a status in between that of morality and that of law, in the sense that while their content is like that of morality, any breach of their prohibitions can result in serious disciplinary sanctions by the relevant governing body. The content of professional codes always contains provisions that the professional will work for the best interests of the patient/client. For this reason professional ethics can be in conflict with ... ...
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