Conscience at the End of Life
Background/Objectives: Caring for patients at the end of life can involve issues that are ethically and legally fraught: withholding or withdrawing artificial nutrition and hydration, pain control that could hasten death, aggressive treatment that is continued when it seems only to be prolonging suf...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Nursing Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4403/14/4/298 |
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| author | Ralph Neil Baergen James Skidmore |
| author_facet | Ralph Neil Baergen James Skidmore |
| author_sort | Ralph Neil Baergen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background/Objectives: Caring for patients at the end of life can involve issues that are ethically and legally fraught: withholding or withdrawing artificial nutrition and hydration, pain control that could hasten death, aggressive treatment that is continued when it seems only to be prolonging suffering, patients who request medical assistance in dying, and so forth. Clinicians may find that their deeply held ethical principles conflict with law, institutional policy, or patients’ choices. In these situations, they may consider either refusing to participate in procedures that they find morally abhorrent (conscientious refusal) or providing care that they believe to be ethically obligatory despite being contrary to law or policy (conscientious commitment). Methods: This paper reviews the ethical issues involved. Results: Each of the usual policies for handling conscientious refusals faces serious challenges. Conclusions: Healthcare providers who refuse to provide medical services should be expected to explain their reasons, make prompt referrals, and bear some of the resulting costs or burdens. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-68cf0221fd6d4d2c9212f9cbe2b3c461 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2039-439X 2039-4403 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nursing Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-68cf0221fd6d4d2c9212f9cbe2b3c4612025-08-20T02:43:45ZengMDPI AGNursing Reports2039-439X2039-44032024-12-011444091410810.3390/nursrep14040298Conscience at the End of LifeRalph Neil Baergen0James Skidmore1Department of Philosophy, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, USADepartment of Philosophy, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, USABackground/Objectives: Caring for patients at the end of life can involve issues that are ethically and legally fraught: withholding or withdrawing artificial nutrition and hydration, pain control that could hasten death, aggressive treatment that is continued when it seems only to be prolonging suffering, patients who request medical assistance in dying, and so forth. Clinicians may find that their deeply held ethical principles conflict with law, institutional policy, or patients’ choices. In these situations, they may consider either refusing to participate in procedures that they find morally abhorrent (conscientious refusal) or providing care that they believe to be ethically obligatory despite being contrary to law or policy (conscientious commitment). Methods: This paper reviews the ethical issues involved. Results: Each of the usual policies for handling conscientious refusals faces serious challenges. Conclusions: Healthcare providers who refuse to provide medical services should be expected to explain their reasons, make prompt referrals, and bear some of the resulting costs or burdens.https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4403/14/4/298medical ethicsconscientious refusalconscientious commitmentend of lifenursinghealthcare law |
| spellingShingle | Ralph Neil Baergen James Skidmore Conscience at the End of Life Nursing Reports medical ethics conscientious refusal conscientious commitment end of life nursing healthcare law |
| title | Conscience at the End of Life |
| title_full | Conscience at the End of Life |
| title_fullStr | Conscience at the End of Life |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conscience at the End of Life |
| title_short | Conscience at the End of Life |
| title_sort | conscience at the end of life |
| topic | medical ethics conscientious refusal conscientious commitment end of life nursing healthcare law |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4403/14/4/298 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ralphneilbaergen conscienceattheendoflife AT jamesskidmore conscienceattheendoflife |