ABSTRACT
In the NICU, the newborn child is generally considered the central concern to the ethics of moral decision making. Vitalism holds that life in itself has an ultimate value no matter what form it takes, such that medical interventions should be pursued to preserve life, regardless of the unfavorable consequences of the interventions. Alternatively, a ‘sanctity of life’ doctrine, while recognizing the intrinsic worth of life no matter what form it takes, tends to make distinctions between actions which preserve compared to actions which end life. There is no deliberation or debate for a decision without choice. For non-decisions, there may be value in shifting the conversation away from ‘what ought to be done’ to explore the meaning of the current course of action: letting a child ‘have a chance’ and certainly the hopes, dreams, or other wants that would be good for the child to have a chance at.
