Troubled Voices: Stories of Ethics and Illness

Zaner, director of the Center for Clinical and Research Ethics at Vanderbilt, here offers a glimpse into the problems of modern medical ethics, as well as an account of his own development as a clinical ethicist. When he first assumed the role in a medical center 30 years ago, there was no job description. As he worked with health care professionals, patients and their families, he made and became his own definition--part arbitrator, part counselor, part priest. The cases dicussed raise the questions and the moral choices medical crises bring with them. Presented in concise language, the topics covered range from living wills and child euthanasia to suicide and organ transplants. Readers, especially those with no background in ethics, will find this book informative. (Oct.)