Building Clinical Ethics Expertise through Mentored Training at the Bedside

Abstract

Shadowing in clinical ethics is the activity that most closely mimics the kind of mentored learning that clinicians of other varieties, such as physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists, go through before such clinicians are let loose to independently care for patients. Regardless of how much academic training one may have, without shadowing an experienced clinical ethicist the inexperienced clinical ethicist has no hope of developing real expertise. Acting in clinical ethics on one’s own accord is possible, even perhaps the norm. It is, however, dangerous to patients, families, institutions and the profession. Without some semblance of the kind of mentored training all clinicians obtain, expertise in clinical ethics will be elusive. The chapter concludes with what shadowing entails, addresses how long the author recommends shadowing continue before budding clinical ethicists begin creeping towards independence, why independence does not yet equate with expertise, and when mastery might be expected.