Who are hospital ethics consultants, and why should you care?

Hospitals rely on ethics consultants to help navigate difficult decisions about life support, consent and a patient’s wishes when the path forward is unclear.

By: Jennifer McCurdy, Michigan State University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: June 2, 2026

Words: 1,155

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

Body Text Preview

By Jennifer McCurdy, Michigan State University

Imagine the following scenarios:

A surgeon prepares to amputate a patient’s foot to save his life, but the patient refuses the procedure. His decline in thinking and memory raises doubts about his ability to consent, and he has no family or friends to help with the decision.

A 17-year-old declines a liver transplant, while her mother insists on going forward with the lifesaving surgery.

Siblings stand divided at …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us