Ethical dilemma vs. ethics lapse | BUS 340 Business Communications | Ashford University
A situation where an individual or organisation must choose between several actions that could cause harm, is called an ethical dilemma. This is the conflict between important moral principles. Ethical dilemmas often involve making choices with no clear-cut solution; instead, individuals must weigh each option and its potential consequences carefully before deciding on the most “ethical” course of action.
A lapse in ethics is, by contrast, a failure to make ethical judgments. This can be caused by a person who intends to act ethically, but does not have the knowledge, experience or decision-making skills to do so. Contrary to ethical dilemmas, where the right solution is not possible and only can be determined by context, ethical slippages can be easily avoided with better understanding and knowledge of professional codes. (Citation: Stearns SA & O’Connor JA (2020). The principled approach to nursing ethics