HS20-HC1 Analyze how Western, Indigenous, traditional, complementary and alternative approaches to health care contribute to a holistic perspective (e.g., mental, emotional, physical and spiritual) of health.
HS20-HC2 Examine how personal and societal beliefs impact ethical decisions regarding health care.
Introduction
Course Outline
Patient History Assignment and Discussion (2 classes)
1.1 A Brief History of Health, Wellness, Illness and Disease
When did the study of Medicine begin? How has it evolved over time?
Complete notes and question package.
1.2 Types of Medicine - Western, Traditional and Complementary and Alternative Methods
What is the difference between a doctor and a chiropractor? What is a Traditional Healer?
TO HAND IN: Western, Traditional, CAM Research Assignment
1.3 Rights of the Patient and Ethical Decision Making
In this section we discuss ethical issues surrounding health care and treatment.
Scenario: What would you do in these situations? Think from both sides of situations.
1.5 Difficult Choices
Ethics is about right and wrong and the reasons that we give for our choices and actions. This is clearly central to Health Science, since doing the right thing for patients--minimizing suffering and treating illness--contains a large moral component. Ethics should help clarify and present alternatives when you are faced with a difficult decision within the Health Science field. When it comes to ethical problems and dilemmas, you should first of all be able to recognize them and be able to analyze them carefully; keeping in mind the three core ethical principles:
1.What does the patient want?(AKA: Autonomy)
2.What can be done for the patient and what are the harms and benefits?(AKA: Beneficence and Maleficence)
3.Are the patient’s requests fair and able to be satisfied? (AKA: Justice)
A 7-step procedure for resolving ethical dilemmas has been proposed by Philip C. Hébert; this is not a moral set of rules, but is “good enough for our purposes” (1995, p. 15).
1.Recognize that a case raises an important ethical problem. Ethical problems arise when there is a conflict of values and when there are different ways of proceeding. It is important to be as knowledgeable as possible about the case.
2.Identify the problem that needs to be solved. Once the problem is precisely identified, you will be better able to decide what resources you need to handle the problem.
3.Determine reasonable alternative courses of action. These options need not be exhaustive, but they should be clearly distinct.
4.Consider each option in relation to the three fundamental ethical principles. None of these principles is always paramount, but in certain situations, one may trump another.
5.Decide of a resolution to the problem. Your conclusion may be disputed, so you should be able to say why you think it is the best one.
6.Consider your position critically.
·Are there circumstances under which you would advocate a different course of action? Could your decision be formulated into a general principle?
·Consider your emotions, conscience and the opinion of others.
·Would you make the same choice if your decision were made public?
7.Do the right thing!
**All information has been modified from its original version found in Doing Right: A Practical Guide to Ethics for Medical Trainees and Physicians by Philip C. Hébert
Assignment: Hand-in Case 4: Prior Wishes with your Analysis
A 54-year old woman presents to the emergency room in a coma from a drug over-dose. She needs to be intubated and put on a ventilator as her level of consciousness is declining and she will not be able to breathe on her own. She has a written advance directive that says she does not want to be ventilated. Her family says this has been her expressed wish since a motor vehicle accident three years ago left her a quadriplegic. Should she be intubated despite such advance instructions? (Hébert, 1995, p. 33)