Clinical Topics in Bioethics

Catalog description

This course will provide an overview of the major areas of clinical bioethics. These are the topics that clinical ethicists commonly wrestle with in their role as consultation leaders, ethics committee members and teachers of contemporary bioethics. These have not yet been resolved to everyone's satisfaction. Students will examine informed consent, decision making, the role of advance directives, treatment limitations and appropriate end of life care. Further, students will look at the role of both physician and nurse in these dilemmas as well as the role of the ethics committee. Finally, students will tackle some more global issues that are still within the clinical arena--such as epidemiology and the concerns with emergency preparedness, institutional ethics and, and research ethics.