Essay Available:
Pages:
2 pages/≈550 words
Sources:
6
Style:
APA
Subject:
Social Sciences
Type:
Essay
Language:
English (U.S.)
Document:
MS Word
Date:
Total cost:
$ 8.64
Topic:
Health Care
Essay Instructions:
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Summative: Healthcare Assignment
In a way, religion can also be a barrier to receiving medical treatment, and healthcare providers need to be very careful when dealing with patients of certain religions. Jehovah's Witnesses, for example, will not consent to blood transfusions in most cases based on interpretations of lines in the Bible concerning the consumption of blood. This belief applies even in emergency situations, and a member of the religion who willingly accepts a blood transfusion risks being shunned by other Jehovah's Witnesses, including their own family. Doctors do their best to heal people, but they also have to respect the wishes of their patients when to denying treatments, even if they believe the decision is not in their best interest. What about minors though? Anyone over 16 has the right to make their own medical decisions, but what if someone younger than that was in need of a medical treatment, but refused it? While Canada has clear rules regarding religious freedoms, there are also rules in place to protect the welfare of children.
This became an issue when a 14 year old Jehovah's Witness from Winnipeg was admitted to a hospital due to gastrointestinal bleeding caused by Crohn's disease. The girl's doctor felt that the bleeding posed an imminent risk to her life, and proposed a blood transfusion as part of her treatment. The girl, referred to only as ‘A.C.' in court documents due to her age, refused the blood transfusion based upon her religious beliefs. Child and Family Services were brought in, and were granted a treatment order by a Manitoba court that allowed the doctor to give A.C. a blood transfusion against her will. In 2009, years after the transfusion, the case made its way to the Supreme Court of Canada, and is indexed as ‘A.C. v. Manitoba (Director of Child and Family Services). The Supreme Court ruled in Manitoba's favour, though not unanimously.
For this assignment, you will need to imagine that this case is still in front of the Supreme Court of Canada, and that you are a world renowned expert in either the field of Sociology, Anthropology, or Psychology. You have been asked to study the case and address the court with your findings. You may choose to side with either A.C. or Manitoba, and should work to provide clear reasons for your decision based upon the discipline you have chosen to be an expert in. You are not expected to know the ins and outs of Supreme Court procedure, but should try to be somewhat formal as you are addressing the highest court in Canada!
The expected length for this assignment is 500 - 750 words. Be sure to cite any and all sources appropriately.
To get started you may want to read the following news article:
- Teen Cannot Refuse Blood Transfusion, Top Court Rules
You should also scan the judgement of the Supreme Court of Canada. You do not have to read the whole judgement! It is massive, just briefly read the parts that will benefit you (i.e. the case brief, reasons for judgement, and either the concurring or dissenting reasons depending on who you choose to support:
- A.C. v. Manitoba (Director of Child and Family Services)
Essay Sample Content Preview:
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The case of A.C versus Manitoba is extremely sensitive and important. It touches both the civil liberties of A.C and legal and social responsibilities of Manitoba Court and Child Services. A.C`s. Specific factors should be considered before the judgments on the case is delivered. This is to ensure that fair judgment is passed by respecting and upholding A.C`s rights, avoiding overstepping of the Manitoba court and Child services mandate, yet at the same time make sure that AC continues to live a healthy life. The Supreme Court should exercise utmost care and sufficient scrutiny of the details surrounding the health and legal aspects of this case.
The law states that any un-emancipated minor who possesses sufficient intelligence to understand and appreciate the consequences of proposed medical or surgical procedures qualifies to consent or withdraw consent for such procedures, best interests of the minor taken into consideration. According to the psychiatric assessment results obtained from the test conducted on A.C, she does not suffer from any form of mental illness. There is also no basis upon which a reason has been found to believe that she does not comprehend the potential of not accepting the blood transfusion. A.C therefore qualifies as a mature minor that can consent to, or deny consent to a medical procedure, which blood transfusion falls under.
The law also states that each and every citizen has the right to exercise religious practices and participate in religions of their choice. Everyone has freedom of conscience, liberty, security and right to life. Everyone has the right to equal benefit and protection without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, gender, and age, mental or physical disability (Constitution Acts, 1867 to 1982). A.C is a practicing Jehovah witness. Part of one of the tenets of the Jehovah Witness belief system is that transfusion of blood from someone else is strictly not allowed and could lead to excommunication from the church.
Taking into consideration the social impact the transfusion would have on A.C`s it is important that justice be delivered with all these considerations. Allowing a blood transfusion to be performed may result in the excommunication of A.C from the church, disowning by parents and alienation by peers. Such social impact ...
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