Clinical Ethics Consultation: Theories and Methods, Implementation, Evaluation

✍ Scribed by Jan Schildmann, John-Stewart Gordon, Jochen Vollmann (eds.)

• Publisher: Ashgate
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 236
• Series: Medical Law and Ethics
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This volume brings together researchers from different European countries and disciplines who are involved in Clinical Ethics Consultation (CEC). The work provides an analysis of the theories and methods underlying CEC as well a discussion of practical issues regarding the implementation and evaluation of CEC. The first section deals with different possible approaches in CEC. The authors explore the question of how we should decide complex cases in clinical ethics, that is, which ethical theory, approach or method is most suitable in order to make an informed ethical decision. It also discusses whether clinical ethicists should be ethicists by education or rather well-trained facilitators with some ethical knowledge. The second chapter of this book focuses on practical aspects of the implementation of CEC structures. The analysis of experienced clinical ethicists refers to macro and micro levels in both developed and transitional countries. Research on the evaluation of CEC is at the centre of the final chapter of this volume. In this context conceptual as well as empirical challenges with respect to a sound approach to judgements about the quality of the work of CECs are described and suggestion for further research in this area are made. In summary this volumes brings together theorists and healthcare practitioners with expertise in CEC. In this respect the volume serves as good example for a multi- and interdisciplinary approach to clinical ethics which combines philosophical reasoning and empirical research.

✦ Table of Contents

Contents: Introduction, Jan Schildmann, John-Stewart Gordon and Jochen Vollmann; Part I Theories and Methods: Ethics as a method, John-Stewart Gordon; Ethics - empiricism - consultation: defining a complex relationship, Uwe Fahr and Markus Rothaar; Philosophical foundations of clinical ethics; a hermeneutic perspective, Guy Widdershoven and Bert Molewijk; Discourse ethics and ethics consultation, Uwe Fahr; Implementation of clinical ethics consultation in conflict with professional conscience? Suggestions for reconciliation, László Kovács; Ethics consultation: facilitating reflection on professional norms in medicine, Christiane Stüber. Part II Implementation: The implementation process of clinical ethics consultation: concepts, resistance, recommendations, Jochen Vollmann; What does the ethical expertise of a moral philosopher involve in clinical ethics consultancy?, Beate Herrmann; Moving towards clinical ethics consultation in Italy: practical experience, foundational and methodological considerations, Nunziata Comoretto; Demand and needs in clinical ethics consultation in Georgia, Nino Chikhladze and Nato Pitskhelauri; Clinical ethics consultation in Croatia, Ana Borovecki; Clinical ethics in the Netherlands: moral case deliberation in health care organizations, Margreet Stolper, Sandra van der Dam, Guy Widdershoven and Bert Molewijk; Clinical ethics consultation and bedside rationing, Daniel Strech. Part III Evaluation: Experience of Clinical Ethics Consultation: Experience in ethical decision-making and attitudes towards ethics consultation of regional hospital physicians in Bulgaria, Silviya Aleksandrova; Ethical decision-making in nursing homes: a literature study, Georg Bollig; Evaluation of clinical ethics consideration: a systematic review and critical appraisal of research methods and outcome criteria, Jan Schildmann and Jochen Vollmann; Index.