EXCEUS 113 - Contemporary Issues in Bioethics

Course Description

This conference is needed to teach, discuss and have open dialogue to consider how culture, spirituality, diversity, equity and inclusion impact bioethics in the clinical setting. We will also teach and discuss utilization of a bioethical framework in the patient setting, as well as consideration of hope as a function in our moral lives, and how various resources inspire hope in the healthcare setting. The current practice takes diversity, culture and spiritual practices into account with discussions between healthcare staff and patients and families, however these communication practices vary amongst providers and situations. By nature of this subject, we cannot provide a rigid structure or guide to these interactions, but we can teach and discuss how language and hope relate to communication in healthcare with attention to cultural and spiritual diversity. Discussion and acknowledgement of these complex layers of communication raises awareness and behavior changes. The best practice is to consider, acknowledge and take cultural and spiritual preferences into account for medical discussions and bioethical situations. Many medical and bioethical conversations relate to hope in a setting with limitations. Cultural and spiritual preferences are also a significant factor in the framing of hope in the medical setting. Best practice takes these factors into consideration and utilizes appropriate language and communication tools to present information, enhance interactive conversations, and prepare the healthcare team for focused and relevant discussions. Moreover, there will be specific focus on language and communication in serious illness. We will discuss how diversity, equity and inclusion impact ethical decision making in medically effective care. We will discuss the concept of hope, understanding how it functions in our moral lives, and apply how social and spiritual resources are useful to inspire hope in case studies from healthcare. The panel of faith leaders will reflect on hope and spiritual role of medicine in their representative traditions.