Ethics talk; Talking ethics: An example of clinical ethics consultation

This written account of a clinical encounter - depicting fragments of a mor e extensive array of events - attempts to exemplify many facets and associa ted complexities of clinical ethics consultation. Within the general tellin g, I provide more detailed portrayals of several key events. In secion 1, I document briefly my initial interactions at the beginning of the consultat ion, focusing on the information gained - in the context of those interacti ons - as I read the medical chart of Mrs. Rose. Next in section 2, I briefl y describes my initial conversation with Mrs. Rose's three sons. Section 3 illustrates several questions raised in sections 1 and 2. Then section 4 pr esents my encounter with Paul, the youngest son, as he was carrying out his vigil at his mother's bedside in the hospital. Section 5 chronicles my int eractions with several care providers involved in Mrs. Rose's situation, in cluding two different meetings that occurred with Mrs. Rose's attending phy sician. I conclude in section 6 by telling about a conversation I had with Mrs. Rose's middle son, Russell, approximately one month after Mrs. Rose di ed.