Category / Case Studies / Medical Ethics / Right to Refuse
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![A stream with a fishing person standing on the rocks.]()
Case Study – The Avid Outdoorsman and Quality of Life
The patient is a 45-year-old male with chronic cardiac issues. If the current standard continues, the patient is not expected to live past the next five years. It is recommended that the patient undergo a surgical procedure that will add several years to his life expectancy.
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![A simple window in a dark room representing isolation.]()
Case Study – The Isolated Long-Term-Care Patient and Scarce Resource Allocation
Patient is an 82-year-old female, who is currently a resident at a long-term care facility. The patient is suffering from severe dementia, COPD, and other conditions, and recently tested positive for COVID-19.
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![A woman wearing a face mask with virus graphics floating around.]()
Case Study –“But I’m Asymptomatic to the Virus!” Quarantine Ethics
Jane is 40-year old physician who is travelling back from providing free medical care oversees. She has been stationed in South America, where a new virus is spreading. Very little is known about the virus but is has been shown to be extremely contagious through the air.
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![Two railroad tracks side by side.]()
Case Study –Allowing Patients to Make Bad Decisions
Patient is a 74-year-old male, suffering from COPD and ESRD. Patient requires oxygen and twice weekly dialysis. After a ten-day hospital admission, the attending physician has determined that the patient is medically cleared for discharge and recommends discharge to a SNF.
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![Portrait of an older woman.]()
Case Study – Everything Be Done
The patient, Mrs. Czarniwicz, is a 67-year-old female diagnosed with non-resectable colon cancer six months ago. She was recently admitted for sepsis.
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![A patient in a hospital bed.]()
Case Study – Nonadherence to Care?
Patient is a 30-year-old female, presenting with multiple co-morbidities including HIV, COPD and cardiac complications. After several weeks in the ICU, the patient’s condition continued to not improve.
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![Kids drawing together.]()
Case Study – Vaccination and Autism
Patient is a 6-year-old female being seen at her family physician. The patient is up-to-date with all of her vaccines, but the patient’s mother is now expressing concerns.
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The Case of Non-Beneficial Care
80-year male with multiple medical problems is nonresponsive to medical teams.
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Medical Ethics – Narrative Ethics
Narrative ethics help tell the story and provide a framework for ethical decision making.
