Articles

Resources on End-of-Life Ethics and Decision Making

Be Not Afraid: Catholic Views of Advanced Care Planning

Clergy and religious comment on end-of-life directives
Miriam Schulman

The Dignity of Being Human

An exploration of Catholic approaches to artificial nutrition and hydration (in "Health Progress).
Gerald D. Coleman, SS; Margaret R. McLean; Joan Ma

The Importance of Relationships in the Case of Gabriela Rivera

A physician and president of Cross Cultural Health Care Concepts reflects on the case of a Latino family facing end-of-life decisions.
John Silva

Cultural Humility and Compassionate Presence at the End of Life

The attitude and cultural competence required for a two-way therapeutic relationship, where both patient and provider contribute.
Sylvia Austerlic

The Case of Gabriela Rivera

A physician explores the themes of communication, compliance, and capacity in culturally competent care.
Marc Tunzi

Autonomy, Justice, and Gabriela Rivera's Need for Care

Culturally based assumptions may blind well-meaning caregivers to issues of justice in health care.
Karen Peterson-Iyer

Palliative Care: An Ethical Obligation

SCU senior honors thesis argues that the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence require that hospitals, in addition to clinicians, offer palliative care
Stephanie C. Paulus

Church Autonomy in Medical Ethical Decision Making

An SCU student reflects on artificial nutrition and hydration for patients in a persistent vegetative state
Nicole Van Groningen

The Relationship Between Physicians and Patients

Chair of the President's Council on Bioethics Edmund Pellegrino discusses the conflicts that can arise between patient autonomy and the personal beliefs of doctors, nurses, and pharmacists
Miriam Schulman

Cancer: A Failure to Communicate - Reflections by Abdelmalek Yamani

Response to a case study where cultural misunderstandings interfere with medical care for a cancer patient.
Abdelmalek Yamani

Cancer: A Failure to Communicate - Reflections by Karen Peterson-Iyer

Response to a case study where cultural misunderstandings interfere with medical care for a cancer patient.
Karen Peterson-Iyer

Cancer: A Failure to Communicate

A case study of how cultural misunderstandings interfere with medical care for a cancer patient.
Karen Peterson-Iyer

Cancer: A Failure to Communicate - Reflection by Doha Raik Hamza

Response to a case study where cultural misunderstandings interfere with medical care for a cancer patient.
Doha Raik Hamza

Cancer: A Failure to Communicate - Reflections by Dr. Sheik Hassan and Dr. Hossam E. Fadel

Response to a case study where cultural misunderstandings interfere with medical care for a cancer patient.
Dr. Sheik Hassan and Dr. Hossam E. Fadel

Confronting a Fetal Abnormality

A case study raising issues of culturally competent health care for a Muslim woman.
Karen Peterson-Iyer

Introduction to Culturally Competent Care

Background on how cultural differences affect the provision of care in a clinical setting
Karen Peterson-Iyer

Culturally Competent Care for Muslim Patients: Introduction to Cases and Reflections

Background on the specific ethical issues involved in providing culturally competent care to Muslim patients.
Karen Peterson-Iyer

Confronting a Fetal Abnormality: Reflections by Doha Raik Hamza

Response to a case raising issues in culturally competent health care for a Muslim woman.
Doha Raik Hamza

Confronting a Fetal Abnormality: Reflections by Sheik N. Hassan and Hossam E. Fadel

Response to a case raising issues in culturally competent health care for a Muslim woman.
Sheik N. Hassan and Hossam E. Fadel

Confronting a Fetal Abnormality: Reflections by Karen Peterson-Iyer

Response to a case raising issues in culturally competent health care for a Muslim woman.
Karen Peterson-Iyer

Confronting a Fetal Abnormality: Reflections by Abdelmalek Yamani

Response to a case raising issues in culturally competent health care for a Muslim woman.
Abdelmalek Yamani

'D' Is for Discussions, Decisions, and Directives

End-of-life decisions are aided by advance discussions and directives.
Margaret R. McLean

Medical Decision Making for Publicly Conserved Individuals: Policy Recommendations

Analysis of problems confronting public guardians making end-of-life care decisions.
Theresa Drought

End-of-Life Decision Making: Case 1

A physician has questions for a public guardian in charge of the medical care for a conserved patient.
Elizabeth Menkin

End-of-Life Decision Making: Case 1

A physician has questions for a public guardian in charge of the medical care for a conserved patient.
Elizabeth Menkin

End-of-Life Decision Making: Case 2

A public guardian must make decisions for a 78 year-old woman with severe dementia, and multiple illnesses.
Elizabeth Menkin

End-of-Life Decision Making: Case 2

A public guardian must make decisions for a 78 year-old woman with severe dementia, and multiple illnesses.
Elizabeth Menkin

Reading List on End-of-Life Decision Making

A bibliography on legal, ethical, and medical aspects of end-of-life decisions.

Assisted Suicide: A Right or a Wrong?

An examination of the ethical issues in physician-assisted death.
Claire Andre and Manuel Velasquez

The Case of the Depressed Patient

A doctor must decide if a patient's decision to stop dialysis is motivated by depression.
Melinda Lee

Schiavo Case and the Future of Ethics at the End of Life

Notes from a presentation on the ethical issues raised by the Terri Schiavo case
Gerald Coleman, S.S. and Lawrence Nelson

Dying with Dignity

The president of St. Patrick's Seminary looks at the political and moral debate about physician-assisted suicide.
Gerald D. Coleman, S.S.

Persistent Indeterminate State: Reflections on the Wendland Case

One of the lawyers in this precedent-setting end-of-life case discusses who should make decisions for incompetent patients.
Lawrence J. Nelson

Tough Talk: Finding the Words for Living With Loss

Guidelines for discussion of end-of-life issues.
Dale G. Larson

Last Things

Introduction to a collection of articles on end-of-life ethics.

Reluctant Realism

Research on attitudes toward end-of-life issues in the San Jose Hispanic community.
Margaret R. McLean and Margaret A. Graham

Bargain

Bargaining with God about death.
Miriam Schulman

Blanket of Peace

A student reflects on her first experience dealing with death in her co-curricular work at O'Connor Hospital.
Maliheh Movassat

Caring to the End

Ethics for caregivers.
William C. Spohn

Does Old Age Make Suicide Ethical?

Ethical considerations regarding suicide for the terminally ill.
Rob Elder

Law of Advanced Directives

Legal Documents Can Ease End-of-Life Decisions
Karen Markus

Aid in Dying

A discussion of physician-assisted death.
Michael J. Meyer

Confronting the Ultimate Questions

Advance Directives give patients a voice when they can't speak for themselves.
Margaret McLean

Life and Death With Dignity: Editor's Note

Introduction to end-of-life questions
Miriam Schulman

Life and Death and the Applied Ethics Center at O'Connor

Durable power of attorney for health care.
Margaret R. McLean, Ph.D.