HEA 260 Medical Ethics
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
In the article, The Long Ride Home, from The New England Journal of Medicine, Doctor Korones informs his readers that an eight-year-old girl named Hannah is released by him from the ICU. Doctor Korones decided to write this article in order to describe his view on the situation. Hannah has been diagnosed with leukemia in her lungs and has relapsed continuous times. Her parents had continued to bring her back to the ICU for the past couple months in hopes of a better treatment for her leukemia, or a cure. They finally decided to take her home in her condition so she would be more comfortable.
While leaving the hospital, Hannah’s oxygen saturation level showed that she was not getting enough oxygen in her blood. Korones questioned in his mind if Hannah was already dying. Doctor Korones decided to not worry her parents with their last hope for Hannah making it home. He disputed in his mind whether he should tell her parents that Hannah passed away on the ambulance or pretend that she passed away in the comfort of her home. The ethical standard is to share information, whether good or bad to the guardians of the patient. Doctor Korones failed to do that but explained in his article that “neither choice was a good one” and him coming clean would “take away the one last hope for Hannah’s family.”
Fall Scholars Week 2018 Event
HEA 260: Medical Ethics in the Media
HEA 260 Medical Ethics
In the article, The Long Ride Home, from The New England Journal of Medicine, Doctor Korones informs his readers that an eight-year-old girl named Hannah is released by him from the ICU. Doctor Korones decided to write this article in order to describe his view on the situation. Hannah has been diagnosed with leukemia in her lungs and has relapsed continuous times. Her parents had continued to bring her back to the ICU for the past couple months in hopes of a better treatment for her leukemia, or a cure. They finally decided to take her home in her condition so she would be more comfortable.
While leaving the hospital, Hannah’s oxygen saturation level showed that she was not getting enough oxygen in her blood. Korones questioned in his mind if Hannah was already dying. Doctor Korones decided to not worry her parents with their last hope for Hannah making it home. He disputed in his mind whether he should tell her parents that Hannah passed away on the ambulance or pretend that she passed away in the comfort of her home. The ethical standard is to share information, whether good or bad to the guardians of the patient. Doctor Korones failed to do that but explained in his article that “neither choice was a good one” and him coming clean would “take away the one last hope for Hannah’s family.”