Dual-Role Conflict: Healthcare Provider or Medical Power of Attorney

Authors

  • Maya Nortjé Center for Clinical Ethics in Cancer Care, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
  • Maureen Pontarelli Center for Clinical Ethics in Cancer Care, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3980-6653
  • Ian Doherty Center for Clinical Ethics in Cancer Care, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9353-8789
  • Nico Nortjé Center for Clinical Ethics in Cancer Care, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3660-2762

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7202/1126626ar

Keywords:

goals of care conversations, patient-centred care, ethics consultation, end-of-life care, surrogate decision making

Language(s):

English

Abstract

This case looks at the tension created when a family member, who is a medical provider, is also the decision-maker for a dying parent.  This case study illustrates the ethics of professional responsibilities and dual-role conflicts.

References

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3. Quinney L, Dwyer T, Chapman Y. Tensions in the personal world of the nurse family carer: A phenomenological approach. Nurs Inq. 2018;25:e12206.

4. Jonsen AR, Siegler M, Winslade MJ. Clinical Ethics: A Practical Approach to Ethical Decisions in Clinical Medicine. 7th edition. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2010.

5. Boyle RJ. The Process of Informed Consent. In: Fletcher JC, Spencer EM, Lombardo PA, editors. Fletcher’s Introduction to Clinical Ethics. 3rd edition. Hagerstown, Maryland: University Publishing Group; 2005.

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7. Crocetti E, Albarello F, Meeus W, Rubini M. Identities: A developmental social-psychological perspective. Eur Rev Soc Psychol. 2023;34(1):161-201.

© Han Han Li

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Published

2026-06-22

How to Cite

[1]
Nortjé M, Pontarelli M, Doherty I, Nortjé N. Dual-Role Conflict: Healthcare Provider or Medical Power of Attorney. Can. J. Bioeth 2026;9:119-21. https://doi.org/10.7202/1126626ar.

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 3 (2026): Open Issue

Section

Case studies

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Maya Nortjé, Maureen Pontarelli, Ian Doherty, Nico Nortjé

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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