This session will review the case of a Mr. E who was admitted to the hospital in fulminant liver failure and was urgently being evaluated for transplant. Mr. E was transferred to the hospital from an outside hospital after they had turned him down for transplant listing due to “paranoid personality disorder.”

His need for a liver transplant was due to cryptogenic cirrhosis, and he was not sure why the other hospital had turned him down. As Mr. E’s conditioned worsened while being evaluated for transplant, it became increasingly difficult for providers to communicate with him to obtain an accurate history.

This was a case that was heavily debated among medical staff, as it was unclear the etiology of Mr. E’s liver disease. Many providers were unsure if it was the right decision to list him for transplant due to psychosocial factors. It involved traditional hospital social work/ discharge planning, but was made more complex due to ethical considerations.

Through the lens of this case study, this session will examine the dual role of a social worker in upholding principles from the NASW’s Code of Ethics with the guiding principles of fairness and utility in the organ allocation process.

Breakout discussions will be held in which attendees will be invited to brainstorm what interventions they would have done and discuss what selection criteria is especially valued by their own transplant centers.

Learning Objectives:
1. Discussion of best practices for upholding principles and standards from the SW Code of Ethics to advocate for patients and treat patients with dignity and respect.
2. Examine the ethical considerations of if psychiatric conditions are considered complete contraindication to transplant or not.
3. Discussion of how to effectively collaborate with next of kin to develop a robust support plan, while also maintaining patient privacy as best as possible.

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