What constitutes an ethics case or issue?
Students often select cases in which there is a conflict of opinion regarding the best course of action or treatment to pursue. Such conflicts can arise between physicians and patients, among members of the health-care team, between physicians and family members, between patients and family members, and among family members. Conflicts of this type can often be analyzed by focusing on the competing values of each party (e.g., extending life versus minimizing suffering). Presentations of cases involving conflicts can lead to discussions of such ethical issues as autonomy, competence (decision-making capacity), informed consent, paternalism, and the rights and responsibilities of physicians, patients, and family members. Cases can be presented which do not involve any interpersonal conflicts. Students may wish to present a case because they believe that a decision was incompatible with an important ethical norm, value or principle. For example, decision makers who seek to promote a patien
