Flowchart

Hastings Center, "Bioethical Decision-making Model"

award Notable because it was intended for use by students in their teenage years

SOURCE FOR THE PROCEDURE

indentCampbell, C., S. Donnelly, B. Jennings and K. Nolan. New Choices, New Responsibilities: Ethical Issues in the Life Sciences. Briarcliff Manor: Hastings Center, 1990. See also "Bioethics and Ethical Decision Making" at http://128.95.73.116/HSHGP/1997_modules/ethics97/ethics_bioethics.htm. This decision model was developed for use in high school biology courses.

THE PROCEDURE ITSELF

Disclaimer
  1. Identifying the ethical questions raised in the case
    1. Is there question about what is appropriate conduct in a given situation?
    2. Is there a question about the rights or interests of others?
  2. Gathering and assessing all relevant facts
    1. Address the non-ethical issues (e.g., legal constraints) raised within the case.
    2. Determine the legal, medical, and/or social consequences of possible courses of action.
    3. If necessary, obtain additional factual information not presented in the case.
  3. Identifying the stakeholders
    1. Identify individuals, both existing and future, who will be affected by the decisions to be made.
    2. Include collections of people and non-human entities such as the environment.
  4. Identifying the values that play a role in the decision
    1. Identify concepts, goals, or standards that are important to consider when choosing between competing courses of action.
    2. Consider (among others) the values of beneficence, justice, autonomy, truth telling, and caring within interpersonal relationships.
  5. Identifying possible solutions
    1. Determine what could be done.
    2. Include all options, even those that are obviously unethical.
  6. Choosing the better solutions and justifying them
    1. Eliminate unjustified or unacceptable solutions.
    2. Justify the remaining solutions by appealing to the values supported by these solutions.
    3. Choose one of the better justified solutions.

WALT'S CHECKLIST

The same checklist was applied to all procedures.
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