The ETHICS Project Case Studies

These are working examples of applied ethical problems used in teaching to highlight relevant ethical principles. They are all:

  • Defined in relation to stated learning and teaching objectives.
  • Of proven effectiveness in meeting those learning and teaching objectives.
  • Drawn from a wide range of disciplines but presented so as to facilitate translation into other subject areas.

Click on the links below to view the individual case studies available:


Advanced Statements Contextualised Scenario

Lindsey Dow

This case has been developed for common learning for nurses and medical students and uses reflection and problem solving to enable students to explore ethical and legal issues concerning advanced statements, withholding and withdrawing treatment.



Asbestos Contextualised Scenario

Nick Johnson

This scenario is intended for use with second or third year undergraduate law students. It is appropriate to any module or course that includes the study of lawyers? roles and responsibilities and may be particularly well suited to a clinical module or professional ethics class. It exemplifies the problems of advising a client where the client's instruction or preferred course of action may conflict with the legitimate interests of third parties, the wider society or the solicitor's own moral stance. This case study is based on a scenario developed as part of the Professional Conduct course on the Legal Practice Course (LPC) at the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice.



Beginning of Life Contextualised Scenario

Janet Holt

This case concerns Diane Blood who requested to use her dead husband's sperm to conceive a child- offering the opportunity to look at consent, rights, advocacy & moral vs legal judgments.



Best Interests Contextualised Scenario

Jennifer Jackson

This scenario examines some of the ethical issues that may arise concerning parental proxy decision making regarding surgery on children. It uses two cases, each of which raises issues concerning children's competence to be involved in decisions; the notions of best interests and best health interests; how interests are related to wishes and welfare the role of parents in assessing best interests and parental rights in deciding for their children.



Burglar Contextualised Scenario

Nick Johnson

This scenario is intended for use with second or third year undergraduate law students. It is appropriate to any module or course that includes the study of lawyers? roles and responsibilities and may be particularly well suited to a clinical module or professional ethics class. It exemplifies the problems of advising a client where the client's instruction or preferred course of action may conflict with the legitimate interests of third parties, the wider society or the solicitor's own moral stance. This case study is based on a scenario developed as part of the Professional Conduct course on the Legal Practice Course (LPC) at the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice.



Conjoined Twins Contextualised Scenario

Jan Wood-Harper

In 2000, the case of conjoined twins, Jodie and Mary, provoked a unique and widely publicised debate, involving not only the medical team and the parents, but also lawyers, religious leaders and ethicists, as to whether or not surgery to separate them should proceed. Complex legal and moral issues focussed on parental rights in relation to welfare of children, duties of medical professionals, the sanctity and value of human life, and the rights and interests of the twins.



Defective Cot Contextualised Scenario

Nick Johnson

This scenario is intended for use with second or third year undergraduate law students. It is appropriate to any module or course that includes the study of lawyers? roles and responsibilities and may be particularly well suited to a clinical module or professional ethics class. It exemplifies the problems of advising a client where the client's instruction or preferred course of action may conflict with the legitimate interests of third parties, the wider society or the solicitor's own moral stance.



Diane Pretty Contextualised Scenario

N. Athanassoulis

This scenario examines some of the ethical issues surrounding euthanasia. It compares a case in which a patient requests the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment (artificial ventilation) with a case in which the patient requested assistance in the termination of her own life. Both cases concern euthanasia in mentally competent patients.



Dothiepin Contextualised Scenario

Bryan Vernon

This scenario gives medical students a chance to think about a patient who is refusing treatment when there is a serious risk of death. The woman, a patient with MS, has been found after attempting suicide and brought to the hospital by her husband where she refuses treatment. Her wish to die can be understood, but her competence may be compromised. Having considered defensible reasons for treating and not treating, students have to decide which course they would follow.



Edward Bilton Contextualised Scenario

Lindsey Dow

This case has been developed for common learning for nurses and medical students and uses reflection and problem solving to enable students to explore ethical and legal issues concerning advanced statements, withholding and withdrawing treatment. Main ethical issue: the legal, ethical and clinical issues surrounding a young persons advanced statement that he did not want to be kept alive in the face of severe disability.



Ethical Research Contextualised Scenario

Alison Wearden

On week one, students have a 2 hour introductory session, in a mixed lecture/discussion format, on research ethics and ethical theories (primarily distinguishing deontological and teleological theories) and ethical codes (with particular emphasis on the BPS ethical guidelines). Students are then given an anonymised version of a real-life research protocol and ethics application. The following week, in group discussion, they 1) identify the ethical dilemmas involved in the study from the viewpoint of the two theoretical perspectives taught in the previous week, and 2) consider how the application might be dealt with by an ethics committee operating to BPS guidelines.



Gamete Donation Contextualised Scenario

John Bryant

This is a series of four mini case studies that may be used as discussion starters. The topics range from embryo selection to use of natural resources.



Genetics Contextualised Scenario

Jan Deckers

The case uses an imaginary couple, Katie and Mark, who experience a range of medical problems involving the need to make difficult decisions about genetics. The students are invited to identify the ethical issues involved, and stimulated to work through the options that are available. Ethical justification is required to choose from the variety of courses of action that are available to Katie and Mark.



Hydration and Nutrition Contextualised Scenario

Bristol University, UWE and North Bristol NHS Trust

This case has been developed for common learning for nurses and medical students and uses reflection and problem solving to enable students to explore ethical and legal issues concerning hydration and nutrition in severe illness. .



Myotonic Dystrophy Contextualised Scenario

John Bryant

The case study deals with the ethical dilemmas that arise following a positive diagnosis of myotonic dystrophy and asks in particular who should have access to the genetic information that relates to a specific individual. The question is asked in relation to family members, employer and insurance companies. It also raises questions about the genetic testing of children.



Parent Contextualised Scenario

Nick Johnson

This scenario is intended for use with second or third year undergraduate law students. It is appropriate to any module or course that includes the study of lawyers? roles and responsibilities and may be particularly well suited to a clinical module or professional ethics class. It exemplifies the problems of advising a client where the client's instruction or preferred course of action may conflict with the legitimate interests of third parties, the wider society or the solicitor's own moral stance.



Renal Transplant in Cats Contextualised Scenario

Carol Gray

The morality of using healthy cats as donors for renal transplant surgery is considered. This case is complicated by the circumstances of the recipient cat's owner. The ethical dilemma of carrying out transplant surgery in animals is explored from three perspectives - that of the transplant surgeon, the general practitioner and the recipient animal's owner. The involvement of an ethics committee widens the scope of the discussion.



Thalassaemia Contextualised Scenario

John Bryant

This case study presents the problems faced by a young couple who discover that they are both carriers of a serious genetic condition. In particular it looks at the dilemmas to be dealt with in relation to starting a family and impact of their genetic carrier status on reproductive decisions.



Withholding and Withdrawing Treatment Contextualised Scenario

Lindsey Dow

This case has been developed for common learning for nurses and medical students and uses reflection and problem solving to enable students to explore ethical and legal issues concerning advanced statements, withholding and withdrawing treatment.


Suggestions for further reading

Many text books in applied and professional ethics make some use of case studies including the following:

Medical Ethics

  • Horn, P. (2002) Clinical Ethics Casebook, Wadsworth.
  • Kushner, T.K. & Thomasma, D. C. (eds.) (2001) Ward Ethics: Dilemmas for Medical Students and Doctors in Training, Cambridge University Press.
  • Parker, M. & Dickenson D. (2001) The Cambridge Medical Ethics Workbook: Case Studies, Commentaries and Activities, Cambridge University Press.
  • Pence, G. (1999) Classic Cases in Medical Ethics: Accounts of Cases That Have Shaped Medical Ethics, McGraw-Hill Education.

Healthcare Ethics

  • Council of European Publishing Staff, (1998) The Human Rights, Ethical and Moral Dimensions of Health Care: 120 Practical Cases Studies, Council of Europe.
  • Fulford, K.W.M., Dickenson, Donna L. (2002) Healthcare Ethics and Human Values: An Introductory Text with Readings and Case Studies, Blackwell.
  • Greenberg J.S. (2001), Code of Ethics for the Health Education Profession , Jones and Bartlett Publishers International.
  • Holm S. (1998) Ethical Problems in Clinical Practice: the Ethical Reasoning of Health Care Professionals, Manchester: Manchester University Press.

Nursing

  • Fry S.T. Veatch R.M. (2000) Case Studies in Nursing Ethics, Jones and Bartlett Publishers International.
  • Thompson JE, Thompson J. (1992) Bioethical Decision Making for Nurses, London: University Press of America.

Midwifery

  • Jones S.R. (2000) Ethics in Midwifery, Mosby.

Pharmacy

  • Appelbe, G.E. & Wingfield J. (2001) Dale and Appelbe's Pharmacy, Law and Ethics, Pharmaceutical Press.
  • Veatch R.M., Haddad A.N. Case Studies in Pharmacy Ethics, Oxford University Press Inc, USA.

Others areas of applied/professional ethics:

Research

  • Penslar, Robyn L. (Ed.) 1995. Research Ethics: A Case-Based Approach (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press).

Engineering

  • Harris, C.E, Pritchard, M.S. & Rabins M.J. (1999), Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases, Wadsworth.

Business

  • Ferrell, O.C, Fraedrich J. (2001) Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases, Houghton Mifflin (Academic).
  • Beauchamp T.L. (1998) Case Studies in Business, Society and Ethics, Prentice Hall.

Media Ethics

  • Patterson P. & Wilkins L.C. (2001) Media Ethics: Issues & Cases, McGraw-Hill Higher Education

Environmental

  • Newton L.H, Dillingham C.K., (2001) Watersheds: Ten Cases in Environmental Ethics, Wadsworth.