title: I don't know why I called you.
abstract: This case study details a request from a patient family member who calls our service without an articulated ethical dilemma. The issue that arose involved the conflict between continuing further medical interventions versus transitioning to supportive or palliative care and transferring the patient home. Beyond the resolution of the ethical dilemma, this narrative illustrates an approach to ethics consultation that seeks practical resolution of ethical dilemmas in alignment with patient goals and values. Importantly, the family's suffering is addressed through a relationship driven, humanistic approach that incorporates elements of compassion, empathy and dialog.
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Farroni
authors.forename: Colleen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gallagher
mesh_terms: D000739:Anecdotes as Topic; D003128:Coma / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D033262:Narration; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D016414:Resuscitation Orders; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics*