ACLP Bulletin

Summer 2019 | VOL. 37 NO. 3

 

CHILD LIFE FOCUS:

29 Voice and Choice: Upholding Autonomy and Other Critical Ethical Constructs in Pediatrics

Emily Margolis, MS, CCLS
Towson University, Towson, MD

A review of ethics in pediatrics brings up a multitude of healthcare related ethical dilemmas regarding topics such as decision making, informed consent, treatment planning, and research. The four most frequently cited ethical constructs in health related ethics are: autonomy, or the right to self-determination; beneficence, which is doing good; non-maleficence, which is focused upon preventing harm; and justice, which is how society allocates benefits and burdens (Rollins, Bolig, & Mahan, 2005). Allied health professionals, particularly child life professionals, do not need to conduct a literature search to validate the prominence of ethical constructs in their daily clinical work with children, youth, and families. For example, close examination of one's clinical work would reveal such constructs as truthfulness, quality of life, privacy, equity, and least harm. Issues of confidentiality and privacy are quickly identified when child life professionals consider their contributions in interdisciplinary medical team conversations, documentation in the patient record, and collaboration with colleagues. Concerns about quality of life are explored while engaged in conversations with patients and families about treatment planning and the trajectory of care. Professionals often consider the ethics of equality and equity when determining how and where play materials are stored, which patients receive priority time and attention when the professional's hours are finite, and which patients receive pet or music therapy visits. Concepts of truthfulness and full disclosure are expectations of medical education and preparation sessions as a child life professional works with families to determine how and when to discuss upcoming medical interventions with pediatric patients.

Rollins, J.A., Bolig, R., & Mahan, C.C. (2005).
Meeting children's psychosocial needs across the health-care continuum. Austin, TX: Pro-ed.