Problem
A 24-year-old woman enters the emergency room with stomach pain. She undergoes a CT scan and is diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm, a weakening in the wall of the aorta which causes it to stretch and bulge. The physicians inform her that the only way to fix the problem is surgically, and that the chances of survival are about 50/50. They also inform her that time is of the essence, and that should the aneurysm burst, she would be dead in a few short minutes. The woman is an erotic dancer; she worries that the surgery will leave a scar that will negatively affect her work; therefore, she hesitantly refuses any surgical treatment. The woman was brought from a bar, and the medical team wonders if she is under the influence of drugs or alcohol that may impact her decision-making. Knowing that time is of the essence, the surgeons are conflicted on what to do next.
A. The first step in informed ethical decision-making is to gather as much information as possible, and check ur perspective. Think of at least three questions that, if answered, would help u make an informed decision in this case. u may w.r.i.t.e ur three questions in bullet-point form.
B. After independently identifying the type of ethical problem (step two of the six-step process) and using ethical theories and approaches to analyze the problem (step three of the six-step process) discussed in this case, develop three alternative courses of action for the doctors to potentially take. Describe each potential course of action below andinclude which ethical theory (deontological, teleological/utilitarian, or virtue theory) or approach (story/case approach, ethics of care approach, principle-based approach) the course of action most closely aligns with. Keep in mind that not all alternatives need to be excellent choices... This is the time to consider ALL options, even those that you will not ultimately choose.
a. Note: u do not need to list the type of ethical problem here (step 2 in the decision-making process), though u should include what ethical theory or approach each course of action most closely aligns with (which is step 3 of the process). In summary, think of this section as discussing steps 3 and 4 of the six-step process of ethical decision-making when describing each alternative below.
o Alternative 1: (sentence description, including theory or approach it represents)
o Alternative 2: (sentence description, including theory or approach it represents)
o Alternative 3: (sentence description, including theory or approach it represents)
C. Step 5 in the six-step process of ethical decision-making is to complete the action. If u were the physician in this case scenario, which course of action would you take and why?