This intensive workshop examines the principles an

Intensive Bioethics Workshop
March 20 – 23, 2015
I.
Educational Objectives:
This intensive workshop examines the principles and practices of health care ethics consultation. It
will focus on the Core Competencies for Healthcare Ethics Consultation promulgated by the
American Society for Bioethics and Humanities. Topics include the nature and goals of health care
ethics consultation, methods and processes of health care ethics consultation, evolving clinical
standards of practice, core skills and core knowledge for ethics consultation, consultation
evaluation, accountability, and institutional relationships, and special obligations of ethics
consultants and institutions. This course workshop serves graduate students in bioethics, ethics
committee members (including community/lay members) and ethics consultants, clinical staff and
faculty, law students, student clinicians, and students of the social and behavioral sciences and
other disciplines.
Content Domains: ASBH Core Competencies for Health Care Ethics Consultation, 2nd edition
Domain I: Core Knowledge
 Introduction to Clinical Ethics
 Core Ethical Issues Involving Adult Patients
 Core Ethical Issues Involving Minors
Domain II: Clinical Ethics Consultation Skills
Domain III: Responsibilities of Those Participating in Clinical Ethics Consultation
At the workshop’s end, students participating fully will be able to:
1. Identify the methods of ethics consultation and their applications in various health care
settings;
2. Develop a policy and protocol for ethics consultation based on a particular consultation
model;
3. Identify core competencies for ethics consultants;
4. Identify the ethics consultant’s locus of accountability in various health care settings;
5. Use a standardized method of ethics consultation case evaluation; and
6. Construct a draft portfolio for health care ethics quality attestation.
II.
Detailed Agenda:
Center for Biomedical Ethics Conference Room
5323 Barringer Wing/West Hospital
Friday, March 20:
1-2 pm: Introduction to the course
 Review of syllabus/mutual expectations
 Review of ASBH Core Competencies for Health Care Ethics Consultation (participants will
have read prior to the session)
 Review of process for ASBH Quality Attestation for Clinical Ethics Consultants
2-3 pm: Domain I: Core Knowledge
 Introduction to Clinical Ethics
1. What is Ethics?
2. Relevance of Ethics in the Clinical Setting
3-5 pm: Domain I: Core Knowledge
 Introduction to Clinical Ethics
1. Historical Development of Clinical Ethics and Ethics Consultation
2. Roles and Goals of Clinical Ethics Consultation
3. Clinical Ethics Consultation: Models, Procedures and Approaches
4. Moral Distress Consultation
Saturday, March 21:
9-11 am: Domain I: Core Knowledge
 Core Ethical Issues Involving Adult Patients
1. Decisional Capacity
2. Informed Consent
3. Surrogate Decision Making
4. Privacy and Confidentiality
11:15 -12:00 pm: Domain I: Core Knowledge
 Core Ethical Issues Involving Adult Patients
1. Advance Life Care Planning and Advance Directives
12:00-1:30: Lunch on your own
1:30- 3:00 pm: Domain 1: Core Knowledge
 Core Ethical Issues Involving Adult Patients
2. End-of-Life Decisionmaking
3. Futility
3:15 – 5:00 pm: Domain 1: Core Knowledge
 Core Ethical Issues Involving Adult Patients
1. Pregnancy and Perinatal Issues
2. Difficult Patients: Professional and Institutional Responsibility
3. Recognition of Context and Negotiation of Differences
Sunday: March 21
9-10:30 am: Domain I: Core Knowledge
 Core Ethical Issues Involving Minors
1. General Framework for Minors and Decisionmaking
2. Ethical Issues Involving Newborns and Critically Ill Infants and Children
10:45 – 12:30 pm Domain I: Core Knowledge
 Core Ethical Issues Involving Minors
1. Ethical Issues Involving Chronically Ill Infants, Children and Adolescents
2. Ethical Issues Involving Adolescents
12:30-2:00: Lunch on your own
2:00-3:30 pm: Domain II: Clinical Ethics Consultation Skills
 The Clinical Context
 Initial Screening and Intake Process
 Information Gathering
3:45-5:00 pm: Domain II: Clinical Ethics Consultation Skills
 Narrative Reconstruction, Issue Clarification, and Ethical Analysis
 Communication
 Identification of Ethically Acceptable Options
Monday, March 23:
8-9:30 am: Domain II: Clinical Ethics Consultation Skills
 Implementation of the Plan of Action
 Follow Up and Approaches to Complex Patients
9:45-11:00: Domain III: Responsibilities of Those Participating in Clinical Ethics Consultation




Scope and Limitations of the Role
Management of Conflicting Interests and Commitments
Challenges of the Experience of Providing Ethics Consultation
Unethical Practice
11:15- 1:30 pm: Domain III: Responsibilities of Those Participating in Clinical Ethics Consultation
 Evaluation and Accountability of the Ethics Consultation Service
 Evaluating Ethics Consultation Quality Based on Ethics Consultation Records/Case
Reviews
1:30-3:00 pm: Attend UVA Medical Center Ethics Consult Service Meeting
3:00 pm: Adjourned