Best product end-of-life scenario selection by a new decision-making process under Atanassov fuzzy uncertainty

Author(s):  
V. Mohagheghi ◽  
S.M. Mousavi ◽  
A. Siadat
2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 270-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ranveig Lind

Background: Relatives of intensive care unit patients who lack or have reduced capacity to consent are entitled to information and participation in decision-making together with the patient. Practice varies with legislation in different countries. In Norway, crucial decisions such as withdrawing treatment are made by clinicians, usually morally justified to relatives with reference to the principle of non-maleficence. The relatives should, however, be consulted about whether they know what the patient would have wished in the situation. Research objectives: To examine and describe relatives’ experiences of responsibility in the intensive care unit decision-making process. Research design: A secondary analysis of interviews with bereaved relatives of intensive care unit patients was performed, using a narrative analytical approach. Participants and research context: In all, 27 relatives of 21 deceased intensive care unit patients were interviewed about their experiences from the end-of-life decision-making process. Most interviews took place in the participants’ homes, 3–12 months after the patient’s death. Ethical considerations: Based on informed consent, the study was approved by the Data Protection Official of the Norwegian Social Science Data Services and by the Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics. Findings: The results show that intensive care unit relatives experienced a sense of responsibility in the decision-making process, independently of clinicians’ intention of sparing them. Some found this troublesome. Three different variants of participation were revealed, ranging from paternalism to a more active role for relatives. Discussion: For the study participants, the sense of responsibility reflects the fact that ethics and responsibility are grounded in the individual’s relationship to other people. Relatives need to be included in a continuous dialogue over time to understand decisions and responsibility. Conclusion: Nurses and physicians should acknowledge and address relatives’ sense of responsibility, include them in regular dialogue and help them separate their responsibility from that of the clinicians.


Author(s):  
Marjolaine Frenette ◽  
Jocelyne Saint-Arnaud

ABSTRACTDifferent care settings in Quebec use levels of medical intervention forms, also called levels of care (LOC), to determine the code status of patients and to improve end-of-life care planning. It is not currently possible to know whether the levels of care in hospitals benefit patients and staff in facilitating the decision making process of treatment options and resuscitation measures. No study, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, has been published about LOC, particularly in Quebec and Canada. This literature review was undertaken on levels of care in order to clarify this topic. Relevant articles are discussed under different themes that are pertinent to LOC. The themes addressed in this article include care at the end of life, do-not-resuscitate orders, treatment withdrawal, and decision making at end of life.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Helen Taylor

Paramedics are legally and professionally obliged to uphold their patients' right to dignity, respect and autonomy—and this includes the general requirement to obtain their consent before proceeding with any intervention. The first instalment of this two-part article considered the challenges that this might present to the paramedic. This second article develops this theme and further explores the legal framework underpinning the decision-making process when caring for a patient approaching the end of life. It also examines issues around consent and mental capacity in more depth and addresses matters such as such as advance decisions to refuse treatment (ADRT) and do not attempt cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions.


2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ranveig Lind ◽  
Per Nortvedt ◽  
Geir Lorem ◽  
Olav Hevrøy

In this article, we report the findings from a qualitative study that explored how relatives of terminally ill, alert and competent intensive care patients perceived their involvement in the end-of-life decision-making process. Eleven family members of six deceased patients were interviewed. Our findings reveal that relatives narrate about a strong intertwinement with the patient. They experienced the patients’ personal individuality as a fragile achievement. Therefore, they viewed their presence as crucial with their primary role to support and protect the patient, thereby safeguarding his values and interests. However, their inclusion in decision making varied from active participation in the decision-making process to acceptance of the physicians’ decision or just receiving information. We conclude that models of informed shared decision making should be utilised and optimised in intensive care, where nurses and physicians work with both the patient and his or her family and regard the family as partners in the process.


2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-171
Author(s):  
Jane Elizabeth Sullivan ◽  
Lynn Heather Gillam ◽  
Paul Terence Monagle

AbstractObjectivesTypically pediatric end-of-life decision-making studies have examined the decision-making process, factors, and doctors’ and parents’ roles. Less attention has focussed on what happens after an end-of-life decision is made; that is, decision enactment and its outcome. This study explored the views and experiences of bereaved parents in end-of-life decision-making for their child. Findings reported relate to parents’ experiences of acting on their decision. It is argued that this is one significant stage of the decision-making process.MethodsA qualitative methodology was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with bereaved parents, who had discussed end-of-life decisions for their child who had a life-limiting condition and who had died. Data were thematically analysed.ResultsTwenty-five bereaved parents participated. Findings indicate that, despite differences in context, including the child’s condition and age, end-of-life decision-making did not end when an end-of-life decision was made. Enacting the decision was the next stage in a process. Time intervals between stages and enactment pathways varied, but the enactment was always distinguishable as a separate stage. Decision enactment involved making further decisions - parents needed to discern the appropriate time to implement their decision to withdraw or withhold life-sustaining medical treatment. Unexpected events, including other people’s actions, impacted on parents enacting their decision in the way they had planned. Several parents had to re-implement decisions when their child recovered from serious health issues without medical intervention.Significance of resultsA novel, critical finding was that parents experienced end-of-life decision-making as a sequence of interconnected stages, the final stage being enactment. The enactment stage involved further decision-making. End-of-life decision-making is better understood as a process rather than a discrete once-off event. The enactment stage has particular emotional and practical implications for parents. Greater understanding of this stage can improve clinician’s support for parents as they care for their child.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Rachael Spalding ◽  
JoNell Strough ◽  
Barry Edelstein

Abstract Background Population aging has increased the prevalence of surrogate decision making in healthcare settings. However, little is known about factors contributing to the decision to become a surrogate and the surrogate medical decision-making process in general. We investigated how intrapersonal and social-contextual factors predicted two components of the surrogate decision-making process: individuals’ willingness to serve as a surrogate and their tendency to select various end-of-life treatments, including mechanical ventilation and palliative care options. Method An online sample (N = 172) of adults made hypothetical surrogate decisions about end-of-life treatments on behalf of an imagined person of their choice, such as a parent or spouse. Using self-report measures, we investigated key correlates of willingness to serve as surrogate (e.g., decision-making confidence, willingness to collaborate with healthcare providers) and choice of end-of-life treatments. Results Viewing service as a surrogate as a more typical practice in healthcare was associated with greater willingness to serve. Greater decision-making confidence, greater willingness to collaborate with patients’ physicians, and viewing intensive, life-sustaining end-of-life treatments (e.g., mechanical ventilation) as more widely accepted were associated with choosing more intensive end-of-life treatments. Significance of results The current study's consideration of both intrapersonal and social-contextual factors advances knowledge of two key aspects of surrogate decision making — the initial decision to serve as surrogate, and the surrogate's selection of various end-of-life treatment interventions. Providers can use information about the role of these factors to engage with surrogates in a manner that better facilitates their decision making. For instance, providers can be sensitive to potential cultural differences in surrogate decision-making tendencies or employing decision aids that bolster surrogates’ confidence in their decisions.


2012 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 666-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ranveig Lind ◽  
Geir F Lorem ◽  
Per Nortvedt ◽  
Olav Hevrøy

In this article, we report findings from a qualitative study that explored how the relatives of intensive care unit patients experienced the nurses’ role and relationship with them in the end-of-life decision-making processes. In all, 27 relatives of 21 deceased patients were interviewed about their experiences in this challenging ethical issue. The findings reveal that despite bedside experiences of care, compassion and comfort, the nurses were perceived as vague and evasive in their communication, and the relatives missed a long-term perspective in the dialogue. Few experienced that nurses participated in meetings with doctors and relatives. The ethical consequences imply increased loneliness and uncertainty, and the experience that the relatives themselves have the responsibility of obtaining information and understanding their role in the decision-making process. The relatives therefore felt that the nurses could have been more involved in the process.


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