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Finder SG, Bartlett VL. Clinical Ethics Consultations and the Necessity of NOT Meeting Expectations: I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. HEC Forum 2024; 36:147-165. [PMID: 36125648 PMCID: PMC9486785 DOI: 10.1007/s10730-022-09496-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Clinical ethics consultants (CECs) work in complex environments ripe with multiple types of expectations. Significantly, some are due to the perspectives of professional colleagues and the patients and families with whom CECs consult and concern how CECs can, do, or should function, thus adding to the moral complexity faced by CECs in those particular circumstances. We outline six such common expectations: Ethics Police, Ethics Equalizer, Ethics Superhero, Ethics Expediter, Ethics Healer or Ameliorator, and, finally, Ethics Expert. Framed by examples of requests for ethics consultation that illustrate each kind, along with brief descriptions, we argue that while these expectations ought to be resisted for clear and practical reasons, they also create opportunities for CECs to articulate, educate, and ultimately be responsible to the professional demands of clinical ethics work. Recognizing, acknowledging, and at times resisting those expectations thus become key activities and responsibilities in the performance of ethics consultation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart G Finder
- Director, Center for Healthcare Ethics, Professor of Surgery and of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 116 North Robertson Blvd, Suite 900D, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA.
| | - Virginia L Bartlett
- Assistant Director, Center for Healthcare Ethics, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
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2
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Michels G, John S, Janssens U, Raake P, Schütt KA, Bauersachs J, Barchfeld T, Schucher B, Delis S, Karpf-Wissel R, Kochanek M, von Bonin S, Erley CM, Kuhlmann SD, Müllges W, Gahn G, Heppner HJ, Wiese CHR, Kluge S, Busch HJ, Bausewein C, Schallenburger M, Pin M, Neukirchen M. [Palliative aspects in clinical acute and emergency medicine as well as intensive care medicine : Consensus paper of the DGIIN, DGK, DGP, DGHO, DGfN, DGNI, DGG, DGAI, DGINA and DG Palliativmedizin]. Med Klin Intensivmed Notfmed 2023; 118:14-38. [PMID: 37285027 PMCID: PMC10244869 DOI: 10.1007/s00063-023-01016-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The integration of palliative medicine is an important component in the treatment of various advanced diseases. While a German S3 guideline on palliative medicine exists for patients with incurable cancer, a recommendation for non-oncological patients and especially for palliative patients presenting in the emergency department or intensive care unit is missing to date. Based on the present consensus paper, the palliative care aspects of the respective medical disciplines are addressed. The timely integration of palliative care aims to improve quality of life and symptom control in clinical acute and emergency medicine as well as intensive care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido Michels
- Zentrum für Notaufnahme, Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Brüder Trier, Medizincampus der Universitätsmedizin Mainz, Nordallee 1, 54292, Trier, Deutschland.
| | - Stefan John
- Medizinische Klinik 8, Paracelsus Medizinische Privatuniversität und Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Klinikum Nürnberg-Süd, 90471, Nürnberg, Deutschland
| | - Uwe Janssens
- Klinik für Innere Medizin und Internistische Intensivmedizin, St.-Antonius-Hospital gGmbH, Eschweiler, Deutschland
| | - Philip Raake
- I. Medizinischen Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Augsburg, Herzzentrum Augsburg-Schwaben, Augsburg, Deutschland
| | - Katharina Andrea Schütt
- Klinik für Kardiologie, Angiologie und Internistische Intensivmedizin (Medizinische Klinik I), Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Deutschland
| | - Johann Bauersachs
- Klinik für Kardiologie und Angiologie, Zentrum Innere Medizin, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Deutschland
| | - Thomas Barchfeld
- Medizinische Klinik II, Klinik für Pneumologie, Intensivmedizin und Schlafmedizin, Knappschaftskrankenhaus Dortmund, Klinikum Westfalen, Dortmund, Deutschland
| | - Bernd Schucher
- Abteilung Pneumologie, LungenClinic Großhansdorf, Großhansdorf, Deutschland
| | - Sandra Delis
- Helios Klinikum Emil von Behring GmbH, Berlin, Deutschland
| | - Rüdiger Karpf-Wissel
- Westdeutsches Lungenzentrum am Universitätsklinikum Essen gGmbH, Klinik für Pneumologie, Universitätsmedizin Essen Ruhrlandklinik, Essen, Deutschland
| | - Matthias Kochanek
- Medizinische Klinik I, Medizinische Fakultät und Uniklinik Köln, Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO) Cologne-Bonn, Universität zu Köln, Köln, Deutschland
| | - Simone von Bonin
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Deutschland
| | | | | | - Wolfgang Müllges
- Neurologische Klinik und Poliklinik, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Deutschland
| | - Georg Gahn
- Neurologische Klinik, Städtisches Klinikum Karlsruhe gGmbH, Karlsruhe, Deutschland
| | - Hans Jürgen Heppner
- Klinik für Geriatrie und Geriatrische Tagesklinik, Klinikum Bayreuth - Medizincampus Oberfranken, Bayreuth, Deutschland
| | - Christoph H R Wiese
- Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Universitätsklinikum Regensburg, Regensburg, Deutschland
- Klinik für Anästhesiologie und Intensivmedizin, HEH Kliniken Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Deutschland
| | - Stefan Kluge
- Klinik für Intensivmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland
| | - Hans-Jörg Busch
- Universitätsklinikum, Universitäts-Notfallzentrum, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Deutschland
| | - Claudia Bausewein
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Palliativmedizin, LMU Klinikum München, München, Deutschland
| | - Manuela Schallenburger
- Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Palliativmedizin (IZP), Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
| | - Martin Pin
- Zentrale Interdisziplinäre Notaufnahme, Florence-Nightingale-Krankenhaus Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
| | - Martin Neukirchen
- Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Palliativmedizin (IZP), Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
- Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
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3
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Denke C, Jaschinski U, Riessen R, Bercker S, Spies C, Ragaller M, Weiss M, Dey K, Michalsen A, Briegel J, Pohrt A, Sprung CL, Avidan A, Hartog CS. End-of-life practices in 11 German intensive care units : Results from the ETHICUS-2 study. Med Klin Intensivmed Notfmed 2023; 118:663-673. [PMID: 36169693 PMCID: PMC10624715 DOI: 10.1007/s00063-022-00961-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND End-of-life care is common in German intensive care units (ICUs) but little is known about daily practice. OBJECTIVES To study the practice of end-of-life care. METHODS Prospectively planned, secondary analysis comprising the German subset of the worldwide Ethicus‑2 Study (2015-2016) including consecutive ICU patients with limitation of life-sustaining therapy or who died. RESULTS Among 1092 (13.7%) of 7966 patients from 11 multidisciplinary ICUs, 967 (88.6%) had treatment limitations, 92 (8.4%) died with failed CPR, and 33 (3%) with brain death. Among patients with treatment limitations, 22.3% (216/967) patients were discharged alive from the ICU. More patients had treatments withdrawn than withheld (556 [57.5%] vs. 411 [42.5%], p < 0.001). Patients with treatment limitations were older (median 73 years [interquartile range (IQR) 61-80] vs. 68 years [IQR 54-77]) and more had mental decision-making capacity (12.9 vs. 0.8%), advance directives (28.6 vs. 11.2%), and information about treatment wishes (82.7 vs 33.3%, all p < 0.001). Physicians reported discussing treatment limitations with patients with mental decision-making capacity and families (91.3 and 82.6%, respectively). Patient wishes were unknown in 41.3% of patients. The major reason for decision-making was unresponsiveness to maximal therapy (34.6%). CONCLUSIONS Treatment limitations are common, based on information about patients' wishes and discussion between stakeholders, patients and families. However, our findings suggest that treatment preferences of nearly half the patients remain unknown which affects guidance for treatment decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Denke
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Operative Intensive Care Medicine, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow, Berlin, Germany
| | - U Jaschinski
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Medicine, University Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - R Riessen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Intensive Care Unit, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - S Bercker
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive, Care, University of Leipzig Medical Centre, Leipzig, Germany
| | - C Spies
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Operative Intensive Care Medicine, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow, Berlin, Germany
| | - M Ragaller
- Technical University Dresden, Department, of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany
| | - M Weiss
- Klinik für Anästhesiologie und Intensivmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - K Dey
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Hospital of the Bundeswehr Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - A Michalsen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, Emergency, Medicine, and Pain Therapy, Konstanz Hospital, Konstanz, Germany
| | - J Briegel
- Klinik für Anästhesiologie, LMU Klinikum München, Munich, Germany
| | - A Pohrt
- Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - C L Sprung
- Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - A Avidan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Hadassah Medical Organization and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - C S Hartog
- Klinik Bavaria Kreischa, Kreischa, Germany.
- Department of Anesthesiology and Operative Intensive Care Medicine, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin; Campus Charité, Berlin, Germany.
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Bell JAH, Salis M, Tong E, Nekolaichuk E, Barned C, Bianchi A, Buchman DZ, Rodrigues K, Shanker RR, Heesters AM. Clinical ethics consultations: a scoping review of reported outcomes. BMC Med Ethics 2022; 23:99. [PMID: 36167536 PMCID: PMC9513991 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-022-00832-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinical ethics consultations (CEC) can be complex interventions, involving multiple methods, stakeholders, and competing ethical values. Despite longstanding calls for rigorous evaluation in the field, progress has been limited. The Medical Research Council (MRC) proposed guidelines for evaluating the effectiveness of complex interventions. The evaluation of CEC may benefit from application of the MRC framework to advance the transparency and methodological rigor of this field. A first step is to understand the outcomes measured in evaluations of CEC in healthcare settings. OBJECTIVE The primary objective of this review was to identify and map the outcomes reported in primary studies of CEC. The secondary objective was to provide a comprehensive overview of CEC structures, processes, and roles to enhance understanding and to inform standardization. METHODS We searched electronic databases to identify primary studies of CEC involving patients, substitute decision-makers and/or family members, clinicians, healthcare staff and leaders. Outcomes were mapped across five conceptual domains as identified a priori based on our clinical ethics experience and preliminary literature searches and revised based on our emerging interpretation of the data. These domains included personal factors, process factors, clinical factors, quality, and resource factors. RESULTS Forty-eight studies were included in the review. Studies were highly heterogeneous and varied considerably regarding format and process of ethical intervention, credentials of interventionist, population of study, outcomes reported, and measures employed. In addition, few studies used validated measurement tools. The top three outcome domains that studies reported on were quality (n = 31), process factors (n = 23), and clinical factors (n = 19). The majority of studies examined multiple outcome domains. All five outcome domains were multidimensional and included a variety of subthemes. CONCLUSIONS This scoping review represents the initial phase of mapping the outcomes reported in primary studies of CEC and identifying gaps in the evidence. The confirmed lack of standardization represents a hindrance to the provision of high quality intervention and CEC scientific progress. Insights gained can inform the development of a core outcome set to standardize outcome measures in CEC evaluation research and enable scientifically rigorous efficacy trials of CEC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A H Bell
- Department of Clinical and Organizational Ethics, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Department of Supportive Care Research, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,The Institute for Education Research, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Marina Salis
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Philosophy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,William Osler Health System, Brampton, ON, Canada
| | - Eryn Tong
- Department of Supportive Care Research, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Erica Nekolaichuk
- Gerstein Science Information Centre, University of Toronto Libraries, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Claudia Barned
- Department of Clinical and Organizational Ethics, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,The Institute for Education Research, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Pragmatic Health Ethics Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Andria Bianchi
- Department of Clinical and Organizational Ethics, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,The Institute for Education Research, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel Z Buchman
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kevin Rodrigues
- Department of Clinical and Organizational Ethics, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,The Institute for Education Research, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ruby R Shanker
- Department of Clinical and Organizational Ethics, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,The Institute for Education Research, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ann M Heesters
- Department of Clinical and Organizational Ethics, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,The Institute for Education Research, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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5
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Giannini A. Clinical ethics at bedside in Intensive Care Unit: what difference does ethics consultation make? Minerva Anestesiol 2020; 86:598-600. [DOI: 10.23736/s0375-9393.20.14546-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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