Ethics Services The Ethics Services Department is responsible for providing Ethics Education, Ethics Consultations, conducting Policy review and overseeing the Research Ethics Board. Ethical decision making is grounded in the Vision, Mission and Values of Horizon Health Network and addresses issues related but not limited to organizational ethics, research ethics, clinical ethics and other related topics. The department of Ethics Services encourages anyone involved with the organization, staff, patients, families, students and volunteers, to raise ethics related issues and concerns. Ethics Services does not make decisions, but rather it offers insight when helping people make decisions. The ethics framework guides consultants in working through ethical issues such as end of life care, withdrawal of treatment, consent and capacity. How We Do It: Basic Elements of the Decision-Making Framework What are the facts? Not the issues or people’s opinion but the facts. Does everyone agree on the facts? You have to agree on the facts before deciding what to do. What values are at play? Examples of values – autonomy (the right to make your own decisions), beneficence (do good), and non-maleficence (do no harm). Are any of the values in conflict? Analyze the conflict and decide which value is most important given the facts of the situation. This is always a judgment call. FAQs What is an Ethics Consultation? Simply put an ethics consultation is when people ask for help to figure out the right thing to do in a difficult situation. Here are just a few of the many examples of situations where people request an Ethics Consultation: End-of-Life Decision Making Substitute Decision Making Informed Consent Disagreements between patients, families, health care providers Resource allocation Conflicts between cultural and/or religious beliefs and medical recommendations Research Who can request an Ethics Consultation? Anyone involved in a difficult situation, patients, families, health care workers, employees, researchers, volunteers etc. can request an Ethics Consultation. Why should I request an Ethics Consultation? Ethics consultations can help: people understand different sides of an issue. find fair and respectful solutions. reduce disagreements and stress. give expert advice based on ethics, rules and fairness. Request an Ethics Consultation To request an Ethics Consultation please reach out to Tricia Yeo by phone at 506-648-6556 or 506-608-7823 or via email at EthicsServices@HorizonNB.ca. If you are interested in learning more about the services, we provide or would like a consultation please contact our office at 506-648-6556 or 506-608-7823 or via email at EthicsServices@HorizonNB.ca. For more information about the Research Ethics Board e-mail us at REBOffice@HorizonNB.ca.