Conscientious Objection in Health Care
Author | : Mark R. Wicclair |
Publisher | : Cambridge University Press |
Total Pages | : 267 |
Release | : 2011-05-26 |
ISBN-10 | : 9781139500197 |
ISBN-13 | : 1139500198 |
Rating | : 4/5 (198 Downloads) |
Download or read book Conscientious Objection in Health Care written by Mark R. Wicclair and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2011-05-26 with total page 267 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Historically associated with military service, conscientious objection has become a significant phenomenon in health care. Mark Wicclair offers a comprehensive ethical analysis of conscientious objection in three representative health care professions: medicine, nursing and pharmacy. He critically examines two extreme positions: the 'incompatibility thesis', that it is contrary to the professional obligations of practitioners to refuse provision of any service within the scope of their professional competence; and 'conscience absolutism', that they should be exempted from performing any action contrary to their conscience. He argues for a compromise approach that accommodates conscience-based refusals within the limits of specified ethical constraints. He also explores conscientious objection by students in each of the three professions, discusses conscience protection legislation and conscience-based refusals by pharmacies and hospitals, and analyzes several cases. His book is a valuable resource for scholars, professionals, trainees, students, and anyone interested in this increasingly important aspect of health care.