title: Moral Reasoning among HEC Members: An Empirical Evaluation of the Relationship of Theory and Practice in Clinical Ethics Consultation.
abstract: In light of the ongoing development and implementation of core competencies in bioethics, it is important to proceed with a clear sense of how bioethics knowledge is utilized in the functioning of hospital ethics committees (HECs). Without such an understanding, we risk building a costly edifice on a foundation that is ambiguous at best. This article examines the empirical relationship between traditional paradigms of bioethics theory and actual decision making by HEC members using survey data from HEC members. The assumption underlying the standardization of qualifications and corresponding call for increased education of HEC members is that they will base imminent case decisions on inculcated knowledge. Our data suggest, however, that HEC members first decide intuitively and then look for justification, thereby highlighting the need to re-examine the pedagogical processes of ethics education in the process of standardizing and improving competencies.
authors.affiliation: Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, 2200 N. Squirrel Rd. O'Dowd Hall 131, Rochester Hill, Michigan 48309 USA. wasserman@aokland.edu.
authors.forename: Jason Adam
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Wasserman
authors.affiliation: Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, Michigan USA.
authors.forename: Shannon Lindsey
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri-Kansas City, Lee's Summit, Missouri USA.
authors.forename: Cassandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Claxton
authors.affiliation: Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, 2200 N. Squirrel Rd. O'Dowd Hall 131, Rochester Hill, Michigan 48309 USA.
authors.forename: Ernest F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Krug
mesh_terms: D026688:Bioethical Issues; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics*; D004500:Education, Graduate / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D026689:Ethical Analysis; D028663:Ethical Theory; D026822:Ethicists / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D028741:Ethics Committees, Clinical / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards; D033061:Ethics Consultation / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards; D026690:Ethics, Clinical / Q000193:education*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D019545:Intuition; D009014:Morals; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000941:ethics*; D013663:Teaching