Category / Case Studies / Distributive Justice / Medical Ethics / Resource Allocation
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![Microscopic view of blood vein.]()
Case Study – The Ethics of Blood Shortages
Her hemoglobin is notably low, requiring transfusions to make the patient feel better, but without any hemorrhaging site noted. With proper care, inclusive of additional blood transfusions, Graciela’s prognosis is estimated to be a life expectancy of 3 to 6 months.
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![Hay bales in a field.]()
Case Study – Do I Sell the Family Farm for this Treatment?
A 55-year-old, male-identifying patient is admitted to the hospital from ER for respiratory distress and other distressing symptoms that had come on rather quickly. The patient’s name is Tom.
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![Woman in pain looking out a window.]()
Case Study – Vaccination Mandates
A referring nephrologist believes that Sonya needs a kidney transplant for longer term survival, as well as improved quality of life. The transplant program to which Sonya is referred urges all patients to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
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![Male emergence room patient being worked on.]()
Case Study – Scarce Resources
Mr. Jones is a 55-year-old, suffering from multiple medical issues including COVID-19. Mr. Jones is being treated in the ICU and is intubated. He had refused to get a vaccine for COVID-19, believing that he was healthy enough to “handle the flu.” This wasn’t the case, as Mr. Jones became severely ill and thus had to be intubated.
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![Sick patient in hospital bed with IV.]()
Case Study – Vaccine Hesitancy and Individual Freedom
Jennifer is a 44-year-old patient who is critically ill in the ICU. She is COVID positive and is now going through multi-system organ failure as her lungs and kidneys become weaker. Prior to infection, Jennifer refused to be vaccinated.
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![Angry older man.]()
Case Study – The Noncompliant or Nonadherent Patient
Rick is a 78-year-old male patient, suffering from ESRD, among other ailments. Rick is known to the hospital staff as being a “problem patient.” He has a history of noncompliance and behavioral issues, including being verbally abusive to family and staff.
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![Pregnant belly.]()
Case Study – “You are Violating My HIPAA rights.” Patient Privacy
Skyler is a 33-year-old female, who is 38.5 weeks pregnant and came to the hospital in labor. When she presented to the hospital, Skyler was given the standard admission paperwork, and signed without any questions or issues (although was in considerable distress due to active labor and did not have anyone else at the hospital with her). The patient is relatively well known to the hospital, having presented several times due in fact to her history of drug and substance abuse.
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![Woman getting a band aid after a vaccine.]()
Case Study – “I Don’t Trust It.” Vaccine Hesitancy During a Pandemic
Sam (age 54) and Rebecca (age 56) Johnson are chatting with their neighbor and family friend Dr. Irving. During the friendly talk, the topic of COVID-19 vaccines comes up. Dr. Irving says that he just got his second dose to be fully vaccinated but that it really “knocked me down for two days.” At this, Sam and Rebecca both say that is one of the reasons they do not think they will get the vaccine.
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![A woman practicing yoga.]()
Case Study – Vaccine Line Skipping: A Matter of Fairness
Jessica is a 33-year-old female, who relatively speaking, is a healthy individual. She does have level 1 asthma, which is well managed and has not had an incident or attack in recent memory. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, she has been “working from home” for the past year, with no excessive diminishing of her quality of life.
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![A close up of a man with a tear coming from his eye.]()
Case Study –God Wants Me to Suffer. Hospital Care and Religious Beliefs
Landon is a 47-year-old father of two who has a history of alcohol abuse but has been sober for over a year. He was admitted from the emergency department, where he presented earlier this morning with acute abdominal pain. He was diagnosed with pancreatitis and biliary colic, indicating the need for a cholecystectomy (a laparoscopic procedure to remove the gallbladder to prevent gall stones, pain and infection).
