Ethical Decision-Making for Hospice Social Workers

Facilitating sound end-of-life conversations amongst patients, families and healthcare professionals requires sensitivity to multiple factors in order to reach the most ethical decisions possible. This includes weighing medical, psychosocial, cultural and religious considerations. Drawing upon a framework for ethical decision-making is vital to effective practice in end-of-life care. This session will focus on how health care professionals can understand and then utilize an ethical decision-making framework in end-of-life and palliative care settings. Using contemporary case examples and current research, the presenters will demonstrate how to help patients, families and interdisciplinary team members make the soundest ethical decisions possible.