CLINICAL ETHICS: END OF LIFE CARE

This course will explore how medical decisions at the end of life regarding both curative and palliative care are influenced by medical, legal and philosophical principles and social norms. We will explore how the development of clinical practice standards for patients with advanced disease have evolved in response to advances in treatment and societal assertion of consumerist rights of self determination. This work will assist students in the Bioethics Masters Program to develop the consultation skills needed to interact effectively with patients, even under difficult circumstances. We will build on the knowledge base established in the Introduction to Clinical Ethics course (BIETPS5400) to develop the specific insights and skills needed by clinicians and other professionals to support patients and caregivers who confront dilemmas in end of life care management. Students will develop the analytic and communication techniques needed to advise treating clinicians who seek guidance on management of end of life care for patients, and communicating prognosis and treatment options to their patients’ families. The skills developed in this course will be useful to students who will confront ethical dilemmas in their roles as treating clinicians, health care administrators, ethics committee members, compliance officers, and patient advocates. This course will also provide a valuable foundation for students who intend to pursue more advanced training in clinical ethics consultation, in order to prepare for a career as an institutionally based Ethics Consultant.