Triage and ethics question

I don't imagine that ethics has all that much to do with it, it's simply going to be a hard and fast decision that the doctor will question no matter which he chooses. The temptation will be to save the family member because s/he is family. The temptation will be to save the stranger so that no one can call him out for favoring his family. The temptation will be to save the stranger because the family member is estranged and that's what they get for remaining apart (with accompanying guilt for this reasoning.) The temptation will be to save the family member in the hopes that the relationship can be repaired. The internal debate could rage on and on (although it sounds like there isn't that much time.)

I'd go with whichever consequences fit your story

I think it depends on several factors.

First, does the doctor get along with the estranged family member, or does he want to reconcile? If so, he might be tempted to save the family member and ethics will have nothing to do with it. If they parted on bad terms, then he might leave the family member to die.

If he loves this family member, he could try to rationalize saving him. He might logically recognize the fact that the injuries are the same level of seriousness, but his mind might come up with excuses as to why the stranger is worse off. Stranger could randomly cough and doctor could rationalize lung cancer with absolutely no basis for that diagnosis (Heat of the moment!) Or, the stranger could be older, even slightly, and so the doctor would rationalize that his younger family member should be saved, because he has "more time left."

These aren't necessarily logical excuses, but the human brain isn't always logical.

As to which is more ethical, there isn't a real answer. Taking out the fact that one patient may be related to the doctor, they're both human beings, both in pain, and both equally likely to die - or survive - based on the care they receive.

If your doctor is a highly ethical man, I'd go with the loss of logic in a tense situation: "The stranger is more likely to die because ______." That way, the doctor's conscience gets off without taking a hit. He can wonder in depth if he made the right decision later.

I don't know, Queen, but it's a terrific scenario for the reasons ^^^ they mentioned. I could imagine the kinds of thoughts that would flash through the doctor's head when he's trying to make that quick decision.

I think the most impartial way to decide would be to randomize it. If he didn't know how they were situated, he could tell the nurses/orderlies/whatever "take the one on the left to surgery immediately" or something along those lines.

Or the doc might weigh in other factors. Does one have a family dependent on his/her care or income? If factors like that were known, the doc might choose the patient with the greater fallout of suffering.

Ooh, great scenario. Maybe the doctor decides to work on the stranger because s/he has slightly better odds of making it. (Medical ethics would allow this.) But the family member survives anyway -- stranger things have happened -- and now the doctor has to look the family member in the eye and justify his actions.

Very cool. Good luck writing it, and have fun!

Sounds like fun, the way only writers can enjoy writing emotionally wrenching scenarios. Good luck with it!