• The following cases are presented to generate discussion about particular issues in healthcare ethics.

• Suggestions are offered regarding the issues that arise in the case. These suggestions are by no means exhaustive and those who are discussing the cases will, no doubt, be able to identify additional issues in the cases.

• For some cases, discussion questions are presented at the end of the cases to begin the discussion about the ethical issues in the case.

• For a list of the issues identified in the following cases and the cases in which they emerge CLICK HERE.

Bobby C.: Aggressive Efforts for Newborns; Futility; Informed Consent; Medical Probabilities; Medical Uncertainty; Resource Allocation; Surrogate Decision-making.

Charles O'Brien:

Glen Holt:

Heather W.: Active Euthanasia; Advance Directives; Best Interest/Substituted Judgment; Nutrition/Hydration; Palliative Care; Surrogate Decision-making; Terminal Condition; Terminal Sedation.

Howard Russell: Advance Directives; Clinical Judgment; DNR; Demands for Treatment; Futility (Physiological vs. Personally-determined); Negotiation of Treatment Options; Patient Values; Self-Determination; Terminal Condition.

Hugh Finn:

Jane Quigley:

John Q.: Autonomy; Decisional Capacity; Patient Virtues; Patient Vulnerability; Professionals; Quality of Life; Right to Refuse Treatment.

Mabel S.: Adjusting Time and Manner of Dying; Assisted Suicide; Communication;Determining Benefits of Treatment; Informed Consent; Quality of Life; Right to Refuse Treatment; Terminal Condition.

Marcia W.: Informed Consent; Paternalism; Patient Advocacy; Self-Determination; Truth-telling; Virtue Ethics.

Maxine Carter: Abortion; Natural Law Ethics; Quality of Life; Right to Privacy; Reproductive Self-Determination; Virtue Life.

Mildred D.: Advance Directives; Benefit of Treatment; Physician as Patient Advocate; Physician Integrity; Nutrition/Hydration; Surrogate Decision-making; Withdrawing Treatment for Incompetent Patients.

Mr. Carlson: Advance Directives; Benefit of Treatment; Communication; DNR; Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare; Futility; Patient Dignity; Patient Values; Patient Vulnerability; Physician as Patient Advocate; Self-Determination; Terminal Condition.

Mr. Thomas: Advance Directives; Beneficence; Clinical judgment; Futility; Informed Consent; Paternalism; Shared Decision-making; Surrogate Decision-making; Truth-telling.

Mrs. A.: Advance Directives; Futility; Palliative Care; Quality of Life; Resource Allocation; Surrogate Decision-making.

Mrs. M.: Confidentiality; Informed Consent; Negotiation of Treatment Options; Patient Advocacy; Patient Dignity; Patient Virtues.

Mrs. Rogers: Adjusting Time and Maner of Dying; Autonomy; Palliative Care; Patient's Virtue Life; Quality of Life; Resource Allocation.

Mrs. Sanchez: Advance Directive; Clinical Judgment; DNR; Demands for Treatment; Futility; Quality of Life; Surrogate Decision-making; Self-Determination.

Ms. George: Advance Directives; Clinical Judgment; DNR; Demands for Treatment; Futility (Physiological/Medical); Self-Determination; Surrogate Decision-making.

Rita M.: Advance Directives; Decisional Capacity; Informed Consent; Right to Refuse Treatment; Self-Determination; Withdrawing Treatments.

Roberta W.: Autonomy; Clinical Judgment; Futility; Patient Virtues; Quality of Life; Right to Demand Treatment; Right to Refuse Treatment; Self-Determination.

Shirley W.: Benefit of Treatment; Communication; Life-sustaining Treatments; Oral Advance Directives; Ordinary/Extraordinary Means of Extending Life; Quality of Life; Self-Determination.

Thelma S.: Autonomy; Clinical Judgment; Futility; Patient Virtues; Quality of Life; Right to Demand Treatment; Right to Refuse Treatment; Self-Determination.

Todd Z.: Decisional Capacity; Informed Consent; Paternalism; Patient Advocacy; Professional Fidelity; Self-Determination; Surrogate Decision-making.