Category: Physical Disability

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  • 100. Case: Chatting About Hopes and Goals

    You are a social worker who is part of a rehab team.  During lunch, the conversation turns to one of the patients that you and your team is working with. The patient was in a scooter accident and suffered multiple fractures. They are struggling to regain their ability to walk and can often be heard…

    View Case Study: 100. Case: Chatting About Hopes and Goals

  • 91. Case: Franklin Isn’t Safe at Home

    Franklin Pictou is a 68 year old with limited mobility receiving post-surgical follow up care in the home. He wishes to remain in his dwelling, which is not especially clean and poses hazards to him (uneven stairs, loose carpets, wood stove for heat, and mould) and to health care providers (bed bugs). He chooses to…

    View Case Study: 91. Case: Franklin Isn’t Safe at Home

  • 87. Case: Considering Alternatives

    Jessie Rockford is an 8-year-old with a history of developmental delay, significant cognitive deficits, and symptoms of cerebral palsy. She is her parents’ only child and they are very loving, attentive, and concerned–they never miss a medical appointment and have carefully followed the care plan drawn up for their daughter. However, with the passing of…

    View Case Study: 87. Case: Considering Alternatives

  • 85. Case: Adam’s Story

    Adam Snowdon, a 16 year-old Sydney boy, was diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) 18 months ago.  The disease has progressed rapidly over the past three months and over this period Adam has quickly begun losing the ability to use his right arm to the point now where it is no longer effectively functional.  He…

    View Case Study: 85. Case: Adam’s Story

  • 12. Case: Should Steve Go Home?

    Throughout his life, Steve was the athlete that everyone admired. He played all sports well, especially excelling at basketball. While being quite competitive, Steve was a team player who enjoyed being a part of the team experience. Unfortunately, while ‘horsing around’ with his friends last summer, Steve dove off a dock into water that was…

    View Case Study: 12. Case: Should Steve Go Home?

  • 6. Case: To Feed or Not to Feed?

    You receive a call on the ethics line about a patient’s relative (next-of-kin and legal decision-maker) force-feeding her sister who is a patient on the unit (pushing food into the patient’s mouth and then holding her mouth closed, pinching her nose, etc. until she swallows). Apparently, this was not an uncommon approach to getting her…

    View Case Study: 6. Case: To Feed or Not to Feed?

  • 1. Case: Sensitive Information

    John is a young man with a traumatic spinal cord injury that has resulted in paraplegia. He is leaving the rehab hospital on a weekend pass and has confided to his chaplain that he intends to kill himself. The chaplain calls the ethics service for assistance. Some Values and Ethics Issues to Consider 

    View Case Study: 1. Case: Sensitive Information

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