Knowledge Bank

Hospital librarians face complex ethical challenges complicated by obligations to the library profession and the institutions they serve. Few articles have specifically addressed ethical conduct for hospital librarians. Thus when situations causing conflicts between professional ethics and the ethics of the institution arise, hospital librarians are ill prepared to resolve the enduring question: To whom do I assign my loyalties: the profession or the institution by which I am employed? This article attempts to remedy this situation by examining the multidisciplinary field of professional ethics research. The discussion is organized into three thoughts/concepts: Conflicting Ethics; Professional Ethics; and Ethics, Professional Education and Professional Codes.