YODA* - You Observe Deliberate Act
Steps for Thinking Through an Ethical Issue. Ethics is Everyone's Responsibility
Identify the Problem
What is causing the uneasiness? Speak with your manager, direct supervisor and/or the physician.
Acknowledge Feelings
What are your intuitions? What does your conscience tell you?
Gather the Facts
Separate legal, clinical and ethical facts. Review professional standards, relevant legal information and hospital policies. Who else needs to be involved?
Consider Alternatives
List the benefits and risks of each alternative. Have any new alternatives come to light?
Examine Values
What are the relevant values of each stakeholder? Examples: respect, teamwork, compassion and social responsibility
Evaluate Alternatives
Which ethics principles are operative? Examples: respect autonomy, do no harm, foster what is good for the patient and promote social justice
Articulate the Decision
Which alternative best reflects the values and principles.
Implement the Plan
How will the decision be documented and communicated? Who needs to act? What follow-up is needed?
Perform a Concluding Review
How can we do things differently in future similar cases? What additional resources and/or training would be useful?
Patient Advocacy - patient.advocate@hdgh.org x74404
Shannon Tompkins, Legal & Risk - shannon.tompkins@hdgh.org x73800
*Developed in partnership with the Centre for Clinical Ethics