Meditation on ethics in clinical engineering practice

The author reflects on clinical engineering situations that require consideration of ethical behavior rather than providing a prescription for what decisions should be made. Situations are proposed and questions raised. Among the issues considered are employee safety, working out of title, cost effectiveness and productivity, unpopular causes, standards and regulations, quality assurance, and whistle blowing. To gain insight into how one performs these duties it is suggested that an examination of one's personal characteristics is helpful.