When negative rights become positive entitlements: complicity, conscience, and caregiving

Clinicians have an obligation to ensure that patients with adequate capacity can make autonomous decisions. Thus, patients who choose to forego treatment and leave hospitals "against medical advice" are typically allowed to do so. But what happens when they require clinicians' assista...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Journal of clinical ethics Vol. 23; no. 4; p. 308
Main Authors Shuman, Andrew G, Khan, Adam A, Moyer, Jeffrey S, Prince, Mark E, Fins, Joseph J
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.12.2012
Subjects
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - nursing
Caregivers - ethics
Caregivers - psychology
Complicity
Conscience
Decision Making - ethics
Ethics, Medical
Hospice Care - ethics
Humans
Laryngeal Neoplasms - nursing
Male
Mental Competency
Middle Aged
Moral Obligations
Patient Discharge
Patient Rights
Personal Autonomy
Refusal to Treat - ethics
Terminal Care - ethics
Treatment Refusal
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary:Clinicians have an obligation to ensure that patients with adequate capacity can make autonomous decisions. Thus, patients who choose to forego treatment and leave hospitals "against medical advice" are typically allowed to do so. But what happens when they require clinicians' assistance to physically leave? Is it incumbent upon clinicians to not only respect and fulfill patients' requests with which they disagree, but to physically assist in their fulfillment? We attempt to develop an ethical framework wherein clinicians can honor patients' wishes without necessarily sacrificing their own moral position.
ISSN:1046-7890
DOI:10.1086/JCE201223403