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Ethics

“It is always the right time to do the right thing." – Martin Luther King Jr.

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. Examples are 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 is when competing values or duties pull us in different directions. An example is when you want to be honest but are worried that the truth may hurt someone.

Why you may want an ethics consult:

Feeling uncomfortable about a decision or course of action
Being faced with more than one possible option and not knowing which is best
People disagreeing about what should be done
Feeling that someone has been treated unfairly

Ethical issues in health care may include concerns with:

Access to care or treatment
Adherence to treatment or living at risk
Advance care directives
Beginning-of-life care or end-of-life care
Capacity (ability to give consent)
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Conflict of interest
Conscientious objection
Disclosure
Diversity and cultural sensitivity

Duty of care
Informed consent
Justice, equity and human rights
Medical assistance in dying
Moral distress
Priority setting and resource allocation
Privacy and confidentiality
Respect for autonomy and empowerment
Decision Making
Withholding or withdrawing of treatment

Requesting an Ethics Consult:

Most people want to do the right thing. However, sometimes you can feel that you’re being pulled in opposite directions by different values, beliefs or duties. In such cases, you may benefit from an ethics consult. Anyone may request an ethics consult.

You do not need to ask anyone for permission to contact the Ethics Committee. Simply email or phone the chair of your Local Ethics Committee.