RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The “four quadrants” approach to clinical ethics case analysis; an application and review
JF Journal of Medical Ethics
JO J Med Ethics
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics
SP 513
OP 516
DO 10.1136/jme.2007.021212
VO 34
IS 7
A1 Sokol, D K
YR 2008
UL http://jme.bmj.com/content/34/7/513.abstract
AB In 1982, Jonsen, Siegler and Winslade published Clinical Ethics, in which they described the “four quadrants” approach, a new method of analysing clinical ethics cases. Although the book is now in its 6th edition, a literature search has revealed only one academic paper demonstrating the method at work. This paper is an attempt to start filling this gap. As a way of describing and testing the approach, I apply the four quadrants method to a detailed clinical ethics case. The analysis is interspersed with reflections on the method itself. It is hoped that this experiment will encourage ethicists and clinicians to devote more attention to this neglected approach.