Medical Ethics Advisor – February 1, 2023

Is Ethics Education Part of the Solution to the Nursing Shortage?

Armed with ethics expertise, nursing leaders can help frontline nurses avoid burnout and moral distress. Consider routinely hosting short meetings to discuss ethical problems that are arising before things reach a crisis level.

Ethical Responses if Family Abandons Loved One at Hospital

By leveraging their mediation skills, ethicists can build trust between weary family caregivers and clinicians who are unsure about how to handle a delicate situation. This can help everyone identify patient needs and find possible solutions.

Surrogates View Their Role Differently Than Clinicians

Surrogates view their role as speaking on behalf of the patient; clinicians view the surrogate’s role as speaking as if the patient was in the room advocating for themselves. The problem arises when the surrogate does not voice the opinions of the patient, instead voicing their own opinion of the situation.

Clarity and Consistency Help Families Facing Serious Medical Decisions

Different clinicians use similar-sounding terms. Families may make decisions based on how the clinician presents a situation. It is critical for medical providers to choose their words carefully.

Physician Autonomy at Issue if Patients Demand Ineffective Treatments

A controversial Wisconsin Supreme Court case centers on whether physicians can be legally required to provide ivermectin for COVID-19 if a patient or family requests it.

Providing Ethical Neonatal Cardiac Care

The complexities associated with neonates with cardiac disease require a collaborative and cohesive strategy. Shared decision-making, research ethics, and outcomes reporting are important considerations.

Ethical Oversight of Chimeric Research

A key concern is whether evidence will emerge indicating significant functional changes in the cognition and behavior of nonhuman animals that contain human cells. If so, it may be difficult to resolve ethical issues regarding the moral status of those chimeric animals.

Informed Consent Is Central Ethical Issue for Studies of Pig Organ Transplants

Existing policies for human research subject protection might not be adequate for these trials, mainly because there are so many unknowns with outcomes in humans.

IRBs Likely Need Outside Expertise When Reviewing Xenotransplantation Study Protocols

An enthusiastic surgeon who wants to initiate a clinical trial for xenotransplantation may, in their enthusiasm, minimize the potential problems to the IRB. The surgeon might win approval, but the IRB might lack the expertise to know if they are receiving all the facts.

For Researchers Using Social Media Data, Consent Is Ethical Worry

Researchers struggle with the ethical implications of sharing information that enables Twitter users to be identified. More guidance is needed from IRBs, as there does not seem to be a consensus on best practice in terms of research ethics.

Study: New Physicians Develop Financial Ties Quickly

Earlier recognition and intervention during graduate medical education to improve professionalism and systems-based practice skills may limit future conflicts of interest with industry.