Category / Case Studies / Medical Ethics and Policy Guidance / Transplant
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![A priest giving mass.]()
Case Study: Autonomy and Moral Distress Father Trent Chooses to Reject a Kidney
Bioethics case study on Fr. Trent’s request presenting a complex ethical dilemma involving organ allocation policy, personal autonomy, and the role of altruism in life-saving medical decisions.
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Case Study – Immigrant Caregiver Mother Fears Visit to Hospital
Bioethics case study in which Eve’s mother, Gloria, is her primary caregiver and sole means of transportation to medical appointments. An immigrant from a foreign country, Gloria has been hesitant to accompany her daughter to the hospital. Fearing potential issues with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Gloria is afraid to visit the hospital, which in turn prevents her from driving Eve to her chemotherapy appointments.
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Case Study – Mrs. Bartolini’s Medical Team Weighs Allocation of Scarce Resources and Non-Beneficial Treatment
Bioethics case study on non-beneficial treatment and scarce resource allocation in video or print. It breaks their heart, but the medical team is wonder if they should withhold these transfusions to prioritize other patients that might see more benefit from the transfusion, including lifesaving cures.
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![Oximeter on a finger.]()
Case Study – ECMO and Ethics
The hospital team understand the importance ECMO has in keeping Thad alive and giving hope to the family but are concerned about its continuation as they do not known when a heart transplant will become available.
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![Nurse resting on a sofa.]()
Case Study – Moral Distress of Hospital Workers
Unable to answer the question definitively, Sandra is left speechless. This is not the first patient with severe COVID for whom she’s provided nursing care. Apart from the incredibly high number of COVID hospitalizations recently, there has also been a disturbingly high number of COVID deaths, and it’s all been taking an emotional toll on hospital staff, including Sandra.
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![Microscopic view of blood vein.]()
Case Study – The Ethics of Blood Shortages
Her hemoglobin is notably low, requiring transfusions to make the patient feel better, but without any hemorrhaging site noted. With proper care, inclusive of additional blood transfusions, Graciela’s prognosis is estimated to be a life expectancy of 3 to 6 months.
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![Woman in pain looking out a window.]()
Case Study – Vaccination Mandates
A referring nephrologist believes that Sonya needs a kidney transplant for longer term survival, as well as improved quality of life. The transplant program to which Sonya is referred urges all patients to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
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![Male emergence room patient being worked on.]()
Case Study – Scarce Resources
Mr. Jones is a 55-year-old, suffering from multiple medical issues including COVID-19. Mr. Jones is being treated in the ICU and is intubated. He had refused to get a vaccine for COVID-19, believing that he was healthy enough to “handle the flu.” This wasn’t the case, as Mr. Jones became severely ill and thus had to be intubated.
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![Nurse showing stress.]()
Case Study – Moral Distress and Hospital Workers
Jennifer is an ICU nurse, having worked for Pleasantville Medical Center for 20 years. Currently, she says she is taking Covid-19 hard. She has confided to friends and fellow hospital staff that she feels she is carrying a large burden.
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![A simple window in a dark room representing isolation.]()
Case Study – The Isolated Long-Term-Care Patient and Scarce Resource Allocation
Patient is an 82-year-old female, who is currently a resident at a long-term care facility. The patient is suffering from severe dementia, COPD, and other conditions, and recently tested positive for COVID-19.
