Landmark Ethics Cases- The Case of Karen Quinlan (1 credit hour)
Program Summary: This course looks at the landmark case of Karen Ann Quinlan, one of the first ‘right to die’ cases in US legal history. The case examines the dilemma of Karen Quinlan’s right to privacy versus the State’s interest in preserving life. The course explores topics of privacy, the definition of death, the rights of the incompetent, liability, the ethics committee, judicious neglect and parens patria. The case was ultimately appealed to the Supreme Court of New Jersey where Judge Hughes appointed Karen’s father as her guardian and authorized the removal of the respirator.
“The State’s interest to maintain life weaken, and a patient’s right of privacy grows, as the degree of bodily invasion increases and as prognosis dims. Ultimately there comes a point at which the individual’s rights overcome the State’s interest.” (Judge Hughes of the New Jersey Supreme Court, 1976)
This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of practice. This course is not recommended for NBCC credit.
Find the reading at: https://www.freestatesocialwork.com/articles/Case-of-Karen-Quinlan-reading.pdf
Course Reading: Landmark Cases- A Study Guide for Ethics Committees; Withdrawing a respirator- The case of Karen Ann Quinlan at
Publisher: The Center for Practical Bioethics- Bioethics Development Group
Course Objectives: To enhance professional practice, values, skills, and knowledge by exploring key concepts for end-of-life ethical decision making.
Learning Objectives: Describe the case for Karen Quinlan’s right to privacy. Describe the doctors’ interest in the preservation of life. Describe efforts to define death. Explain the term judicious neglect. Describe the role of the hospital ethics committee.
Review our pre-reading study guide.
Free State Social Work, LLC, provider #1235, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 9/6/2021 - 9/6/2024. Social workers completing this course receive 1 continuing education credit.
Free State Social Work has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP NO. 6605. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Free State Social Work is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
G.M. Rydberg-Cox, MSW, LSCSW is the Continuing Education Director at Free State Social Work and responsible for the development of this course. She received her Masters of Social Work in 1996 from the Jane Addams School of Social Work at the University of Illinois-Chicago and she has over 20 years of experience. She has lived and worked as a social worker in Chicago, Boston, and Kansas City. She currently practices in the area of hospital/medical social work. The reading materials for this course were developed by another organization.