Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing
Published on: January 24, 2020
When negative rights become positive entitlements: complicity, conscience, and caregiving
Andrew G Shuman1, Adam A Khan, Jeffrey S Moyer
1Division of Medical Ethics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York City, New York, USA. shumana@mskcc.org
Abstract:
Clinicians have an obligation to ensure that patients with adequate capacity can make autonomous decisions. Thus, patients who choose to forego treatment and leave hospitals "against medical advice" are typically allowed to do so. But what happens when they require clinicians' assistance to physically leave? Is it incumbent upon clinicians to not only respect and fulfill patients' requests with which they disagree, but to physically assist in their fulfillment? We attempt to develop an ethical framework wherein clinicians can honor patients' wishes without necessarily sacrificing their own moral position.
Related Concept Videos
Empathy
Social Foundations of Self II: The Generalized Other
Attitudes
Nursing Ethical Principles I
Autonomy
Autonomy underscores the significance of a patient's self-determination and freedom from external control. In healthcare, respecting the...
Ethical Issues
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
Egoism and Altruism