Medical Ethics Advisor
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Tips for Device Reps and Clinicians Searching for Ethics Advice
Collaborative relationships help develop new medical technologies, and ensure they are used safely and effectively. A recently updated ethics code clarifies socially responsible conduct related to these interactions.
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Ethics Recommendations Span Years for Some Patients
When someone requests an ethics consult, the patient’s social and clinical history is important to know. So is the history of ethicists’ involvement. It is not uncommon for a consult service to be called multiple times over several to assist with a care question that resurfaces.
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Ethics Guidance for Surgeons on Humanitarian Missions
Investigators developed curriculum to help surgeons review the core bioethical principles of medicine and surgery as these apply to the humanitarian and global health context.
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Payment for Physician Referrals: Difficult for Hospital Leaders to Maintain ‘Clean Hands’
For years, federal laws (and some state laws) have prohibited hospitals from paying physicians for referrals. Yet some hospitals continue unethical and illegal practices, possibly due to a perception of low risk.
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Researchers Identify Ethical Concerns With Pragmatic Trials
Research participants reported ethical concerns about how “minimal” risk is determined, when it is appropriate to alter traditional informed consent practices, and how to distinguish between quality improvement and research.
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Ethical Response Needed if Surrogate Disregards Patients’ Wishes
The role of surrogate decision-makers is to make decisions consistent with the patient’s previously expressed wishes, written documents, and values. But that is not what usually happens. Lack of communication between the patient and the surrogate and/or between the surrogate and the medical team is the biggest obstacle.
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Hospital Leaders Asking Questions About ‘Value’ of Clinical Ethics to Organization
Administrators expect to see evidence that a clinical ethical program is worth supporting with financial resources. Yet many ethicists are unprepared for this kind of conversation, one that requires data for an effective response.
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Ethical Obligations to Study Participants if Findings Are of Unknown Significance
The average person carries more than 500,000 rare or novel genetic variants, thousands of which might be identified during a genomics research study. The question is whether, and how, people should be told about any of these findings.
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‘Formerly Burned Out’ Study Respondents Offer Valuable Insights
There is a great deal of research on burnout in the literature, but little of it is specific to advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants. Now, researchers have gathered such information, which revealed rays of light for those on the verge of leaving the profession.
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Research on Nurses’ Suicide Risk Reveals Ethical Concerns
Awareness about suicide risk among nurses growing, programs emerging to help before tragedy strikes.