Medical Ethics Advisor
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Early DNR Status Adversely Affects Hospitals’ Quality Metrics
Higher mortality due to DNR rates results in classification of some hospitals as performance outliers, researchers found.
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Nurses, Physicians Consider Different Factors to Decide on Family Presence During Resuscitation
Nurses and acute care physicians consider different factors for making decisions on family presence during resuscitation, found a recent study.
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Ethicists Have More Evidence That Consults Are Effective, But Outcomes Inconsistent
Ethics consults are linked to high satisfaction and more likelihood of consensus, but outcomes used are inconsistent, found a recent study.
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Caregiver Knowledge Affects Mortality of Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices
How well caregivers understand the patient’s illness affects mortality rates of patients with left ventricular assist devices, found a study.
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Ethics of Withholding Fertility Services From Prospective Parents
Fertility programs may withhold services from prospective parents due to valid concerns that they’ll be unable to care adequately for offspring, according to an updated position statement from the American Society of Reproductive Medicine.
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Physicians Rely on Device Reps, but Have Ethical Concerns
Surgeons are concerned about conflicts of interest and patient safety due to the increasing presence of device representatives in operating rooms. However, the surgeons also rely on those reps, found a recent study.
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Nonessential Meds, Including Vitamins, Often Continued in Dying Patients
Nonessential medications, such as vitamins, often are continued in actively dying, hospitalized patients, concluded a recent study.
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Residents Reporting More Moral Distress
Trainees are reporting moral distress more frequently, according to bioethicists interviewed by Medical Ethics Advisor.
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Misconceptions on Meaning of DNR Status Surprisingly Common Among Clinical Team
Clinicians sometimes assume DNR status means a preference for comfort measures only, but this is not necessarily the case.
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‘Mere Presence’ of Ethicist Can Encourage Nursing Participation
At some hospitals, ethics consultations are viewed as clinical orders and can only be requested by physicians. Many nurses are eager for ethics advice, but they’re not always comfortable raising a concern on their own.