Medical Ethics Advisor – September 1, 2015

September 1, 2015

• When is the ICU Inappropriate? Clinicians now Have Guidelines

  The American Thoracic Society supports the clinical team’s decision to not offer life-sustaining treatments in some circumstances.

  Read more

• Are terminally ill patients referred to hospice? Physicians play biggest role

  Physicians played the biggest role in whether terminally ill patients were referred to hospice care, according to a recent study.

  Read more

• Americans disagree with restricting access to OTC pain medications

  Americans prefer education over restricted access to over-the-counter pain medications, according to a recent survey.

  Read more

• Caregivers of LVAD patients face “huge challenges”

  Caregivers of patients with left ventricular assist devices face significant emotional, physical and financial burdens, according to a recent review.

  Read more

• Do nurses report moral distress after palliative sedation?

  It’s not uncommon for nursing staff to report moral distress after administering palliative sedation to a patient who dies shortly afterward.

  Read more

• Study: Emergency doctors overstate treatment benefits

  Emergency physicians overstated the risks of myocardial infarction and potential benefit of hospital admission to chest pain patients, according to a recent study of 425 patient-physician pairs.

  Read more