What is Ethics?
Ethics is about making "right" or "good" choices and being able to justify or say why we made one choice over another. Ethical principles encourage us to follow what is good and positive for our lives and society as a whole. For example: Justice (treating people fairly) and respect for individual autonomy (the right to make decisions for one’s self).
What is an ethical dilemma?
An ethical dilemma arises when competing values or duties pull us in different directions (e.g., you want to be honest but you are worried that the truth may cause harm to someone).
Ethical dilemmas in health care may include issues like:
- Access to care or treatment
- Duty of care
- Adherence to treatment or living at risk
- Informed consent
- Advance care directives
- Justice, equity and human rights
- Beginning-of-life care or end-of-life care
- Medical assistance in dying
- Capacity (ability to give consent)
- Moral distress
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- Priority setting and resource allocation
- Conflict of interest
- Privacy and confidentiality
- Conscientious objection
- Respect for autonomy and empowerment
- Disclosure
- Substitute healthcare decision maker
- Diversity and cultural sensitivity
- Withholding or withdrawing of treatment
- Discharge planning
What are the signs that an ethical dilemma may exist?
- A feeling of discomfort about a decision or course of action.
- Being faced with more than one possible course of action and being unclear which is best.
- Disagreement between people about what should be done in a particular situation.
- Concern that someone has been treated unfairly.
How will the SHA Ethics program benefit patients and teams?
Ethicists and the ethics committees support health care professionals with decision-making that improves quality of care and safety, and reduces moral distress. Improved care increases patient satisfaction, reduces critical incidents, saves resources and reduces cost. Reducing moral distress is also associated with improved staff morale. In their special role, ethicists are able to identify organizational and clinical challenges that can be addressed through new policy development and education.
Where do I go if I have an ethics question or dilemma?
Staff and physicians can contact their local ethicist or their local ethics committee chairperson. You can also make a request for consultation by contacting Health 811 at 1-877-800-0002 and an operator will ask you questions about the ethical dilemma to connect you to a local ethicist who can assist you. You can also email the Ethics team.