Medical Ethics Advisor
RSSArticles
-
End-of-Life Experience Varies Depending on Geographical Region
Investigators were surprised by the striking degree to which the use of hospitalization and hospice varied across the United States, even among large metropolitan areas.
-
Data Show Mistreatment of Medical Students Is Common
It is hard to say if the problem is worse, or if residents are just reporting it more. Regardless, this is a longstanding problem, but few effective solutions or prevention tactics have been implemented.
-
Unnecessary Restraint and Seclusion of Psychiatric Patients Is Ethical Concern
Violation of patient autonomy and the possibility of harming people (physically or psychologically) are major ethical concerns. But there are no recommendations quantifying what is considered an unacceptably high rate of seclusion or restraint. Without such guidelines, outlier facilities may not even realize their practices are outside the norm.
-
Many Ethics Services Need Better Information on Volume
Researchers found inconsistencies in the way ethics consult volume was reported, which made estimates of growth over time inaccurate. These investigators created a methodology to allow many more factors to be weighed, which could lead to a more accurate estimate of how many consults ethics services should be performing.
-
Lack of Ethical Leadership Can Be Source of Moral Distress
Ethical leadership requires perspectives of all stakeholders be considered. If managers do not actively encourage staff to offer input, people are going to be reluctant or unwilling to voice concerns.
-
Race Disparities Identified in End-of-Life Care
Minority patients receive more aggressive end-of-life interventions than white patients, according to the authors of a recent study. The answer has to do, in part, with the history of maltreatment of vulnerable populations. Some minority patients, or their family members, have been the recipients of substandard medical care.
-
The Wide Variability in Ethics Consult Mandates
Only half of hospitals have put any policies in place mandating ethics consults in certain situations, according to a recent analysis. These policies share few common features.
-
Did Parent Refuse Vaccine? Nurses Offer Strong Opinions on Dismissal
This can become an ethical issue for nurses if their practice has a dismissal policy that conflicts with their strongly held convictions about the right response to vaccine-refusing families.
-
Ending Race Disparities: ‘Less About Clinical Interventions, Much More About Ethics’
A leading expert explains why disparities persist and how ethicists can help.
-
Ethical Guidance Needed if Someone Wants to Override Patient’s Wishes
Hospitals could put a policy in writing to make clear the obligation of staff to follow a patient’s previously expressed decisions and the obligation of the surrogate to make the decision the patient would want, not the decision the surrogate would want.