Ethics Advisor

Description and Responsibilities

The Ethics Advisor contributes to the resolution of ethical dilemmas in healthcare organizations. They support care teams, patients, and families in clinical situations where standards and values conflict.

He or she also provides training to help caregivers and decision-makers deal with the ethical dilemmas they regularly face in their day-to-day work. The advisor can support decision-makers in analyzing the ethical risks involved in making decisions about the organization of care and services.

Source : Comité patronal de négociation du secteur de la santé et des services sociaux  (in French only)

Education and Training Requirements

As the profession of Clinical Ethics Advisor is not regulated by the Professional Code or by a professional order, there are no official standards required for its practice. Nevertheless, it is generally recognized that a candidate should hold a specialized master's degree in ethics, applied ethics, clinical ethics, or bioethics.

Various training programs in ethics or bioethics are available:

• Programmes de bioéthique de l’École de santé publique de l’Université de Montréal 
• Programmes en éthique clinique de la Faculté de médecine de l’Université de Montréal 
• Programmes en éthique de la Faculté de philosophie et de la Faculté de théologie et des sciences religieuses de l’Université Laval 
• Programmes d’études en éthique de l’Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR) 
• Programmes en éthique appliquée du Département de philosophie et d’éthique appliquée de l’Université de Sherbrooke (UdeS) 
• Programmes de l’Unité d’enseignement en études religieuses, en éthique et en philosophie de l’Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC) 
• Programme de doctorat en philosophie (concentration en éthique appliquée) de l’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) 
• Programme de maîtrise en Biomedical Ethics de l’Université McGill 
• Programmes en éthique publique de l’Université Saint-Paul (Ottawa) 

Required Interests, Skills and Personality Type

• Must be a good communicator and listener
• Must be imaginative and creative
• Must be open-minded
• Must have good summarizing and analytical skills
• Must know how to observe and analyze situations and people
• Must love contact with the public

Personality Type (RIASEC)

ISA

• I - Prefers studying, understanding and solving problems
• S - Prefers to be in contact with people and to help them
• A - Prefers completing creative tasks

Work Environment

In the health and social services network, Ethics Advisors work in hospitals, residential and long-term care centers and local community service centers (CLSCs).

He or she may also work for various governmental and paragovernmental organizations associated with the healthcare field, as well as for professional associations.

Useful Links

•   (in French only)
•   (in French only)
• American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH) 
• Canadian Bioethics Society