Chapter 1.1.6-Sample Assignment: Practical Ethics [2014-15]
Background Information:
Consent and Informed Consent. Risk of Treatment
Autonomy: Decision Taking Capacity, Right to refuse treatment
Case Study No 2- Capacity
Mrs. ABC is a 22-year-old woman with unstable insulin-dependent diabetes who has
suffered an intrauterine death at 36 weeks of gestation. She is refusing medical
induction of labor, which has been recommended to avoid the risk of potentially lifethreatening sepsis. She insists that the birth must be ‘‘natural’’ and becomes
extremely distressed when attempts are made to discuss this further. In the past, she
has had repeated admissions to hospital as a result of poor diabetic control and,
consequently, is well known to staff. Although the current clinical state is stable, the
medical team have become extremely anxious about the possible consequences of
her refusal of treatment and they have requested an assessment of capacity. Mrs.
ABC refuses to discuss her decision and turns her back to the interviewer. A further
attempt to discuss this is met with a similar response.
Assignment Questions: Capacity
1. Write introduction and case discussion?
2. What is your opinion about the case after case discussion?
3. What do you understand capacity?
4. Do you suggest any further discussion point?
5. Summary and conclusion of the practical ethics?
Instructions to the Students
1. The Assignment should be of about one page A4 size [Font size 12 Arial].
However the student can add one more page if the information is justified and
important.
2. The Assignment is expected to clearly written [Typed assignment is better].
3. The Last date of Assignment submission is Sunday, October 19, 2014 uptill 2.00
PM to the producer of Block 1.1 on male and female side.
4. Late submissions are not entertained except under permission by concerned
official in unusual circumstances.
4. It is expected from the students that they should follow the instruction as per
questions given in the assignment.
5. For female side Dr Fathia Omer is responsible to collect the assignment from the
Produce After the deadline.
6. For Male side Dr Imran Sabri is responsible to collect the assignment from the
Produce After the deadline.
7. Please do not copy. In case we find any copy paste of assignment we will cancel
both the assignment and the student is asked to resubmit the assignment with
deduction of marks and penalty. Write your own ideas
Checklist for students Assignment: Assignment No 2 -Capacity
S Domain
1 Introduction
Content
Originality
2 Discussion
Content
Originality
3 Inference
Content
Originality
Ideas
4 Suggestion
Content
5 Language/Grammar
6
Summary and Conclusion
Marks
2 in total
1
1
2 in Total
1
1
3 in Total
1
1
1
1 in Total
1
1
1
Excellent: 1 Marks
Good: 0.75 Marks
Average: 0.5 Mark
Less Than Average: <1
Conclusion
remarks by the
student
Reference and Further Reading:
1. Chalmers J, Singer, P. A. The Cambridge Textbook of Bioethics. Cambridge.
Cambridge University Press 2008. Chapter 3, Capacity; P.17-23.
2. Etchells, E., Sharpe, G., Elliott, C., and Singer, P. A. (1996). Capacity. CMAJ
155: 657–61.
3. http://missinglink.ucsf.edu/lm/ethics/index.htm , University of California San
Francisco website last accessed on May 22, 2015
4. Chapter 1.1.9. Handbook of Medical Ethics 2015; College of Medicine, King
Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, KSA