scholarly journals Medical Ethics during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Acta Medica ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Sevim Coşkun ◽  
Nüket Örnek Büken
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Disaster Medicine ◽  
Ethical Principles ◽  
Duty Of Care ◽  
Protective Measures ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Correct Application ◽  
Difficult Situations

WHO states five ethical principles for the care of patients with COVID-19: Equal moral respect, duty of care, non-abandonment, protection of the community, and confidentiality. Healthcare professionals might have to make difficult decisions such as selecting patients and withholding or withdrawing mechanical ventilation of critically ill patients. In such difficult situations, a well-prepared action plan which considers ethical principles and prioritizes both public health and the safety of healthcare professionals, can help them. In this case, the development of an effective pandemic action plan, together with a triage plan based on emergency and disaster medicine is necessary. The only parameter of selection in this plan must be the correct application of triage, which respects every human life and depends on the criteria of clinical suitability. In this context, the fundamental ethical principles and human rights must be considered when allocating resources and prioritizing patients. Additionally, all protective measures for healthcare professionals must be taken, including all necessary equipment being adequately provided. If healthcare professionals become infected or face a life-threatening risk, then their obligations will be limited. Therefore, it is necessary to realize these limitations which may arise while providing appropriate health services.

Fact file 1: Critical care and emergency medicine

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daisy Fancourt
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Medicine ◽  
Critical Care ◽  
Sports Medicine ◽  
Orthopaedic Surgery ◽  
Extreme Environment ◽  
Disaster Medicine ◽  
Medical Attention ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Medical Disciplines ◽  
The Brain

Emergency medicine involves the care of patients who require immediate medical attention. The specialty encompasses a broad range of medical disciplines, including anaesthesia, cardiology (a field related to the heart), neurology (a field related to the brain), plastic surgery, orthopaedic surgery (surgery relating to the bones or muscles), and cardiothoracic surgery (surgery relating to the heart, chest, or lungs). There are also a number of subspecialties including extreme environment medicine, disaster medicine and sports medicine. Related to emergency medicine is the specialty of critical care medicine, which is concerned with the care of patients with life-threatening conditions often treated in intensive care settings....

scholarly journals Civil Disobedience in Times of Pandemic: Clarifying Rights and Duties

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoann Della Croce ◽  
Ophelia Nicole-Berva
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Medical Profession ◽  
Civil Disobedience ◽  
Duty Of Care ◽  
Normative Evaluation ◽  
The Law ◽  
Descriptive Sense ◽  
Public Demonstration ◽  
Do So

AbstractThis paper seeks to investigate and assess a particular form of relationship between the State and its citizens in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, namely that of obedience to the law and its related right of protest through civil disobedience. We do so by conducting an analysis and normative evaluation of two cases of disobedience to the law: (1) healthcare professionals refusing to attend work as a protest against unsafe working conditions, and (2) citizens who use public demonstration and deliberately ignore measures of social distancing as a way of protesting against lockdown. While different in many aspects, both are substantially similar with respect to one element: their respective protesters both rely on unlawful actions in order to bring change to a policy they consider unjust. We question the extent to which healthcare professionals may participate in civil disobedience with respect to the duty of care intrinsic to the medical profession, and the extent to which opponents of lockdown and confinement measures may reasonably engage in protests without endangering the lives and basic rights of non-dissenting citizens. Drawing on a contractualist normative framework, our analysis leads us to conclude that while both cases qualify as civil disobedience in the descriptive sense, only the case of healthcare professionals qualifies as morally justified civil disobedience.

Relations of Post-traumatic Growth and Resilience in Cancer Experience

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S672-S672 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y.S. Uzar Ozcetin ◽  
D. Hicdurmaz
Keyword(s):  
Human Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Traumatic Experience ◽  
Physical Problems ◽  
Post Traumatic Growth ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Mutual Relations ◽  
Cancer Experience

IntroductionEach individual experience cancer in a different way. While some perceive cancer as a complex and traumatic experience by developing some psychosocial and additional physical problems, others overcome cancer-related difficulties by gaining benefits such as post-traumatic growth (PTG) owing to their resilience. Resilience and PTG that are very valuable concepts in human life to adapt positively to cancer process have relations which need to be better understood.ObjectivesWe aimed to provide a better understanding of relations between resilience and PTG and relations of these two concepts with cancer experience.MethodsLiterature review.ResultsSuccessful adjustment to life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, require resilience. On the other hand, resilience provides a barrier toward stressors by helping improvement of PTG and so, is an antecedent factor of PTG. PTG ensures a deeper perspective and strength to people after traumatic events. Hence, individuals having higher levels of PTG feel powerful enough to handle the problems in their life and can easily adapt to cancer process by focusing on the positive outcomes of trauma, having improved coping mechanisms and an improved psychological well-being.ConclusionsResilience and PTG have strong mutual relations and this phenomenon should be considered for a qualified cancer care.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Assessment of Factors and Improving Cheating Behaviors among 2nd year Medical Laboratory Students in Adigrat University, 2018

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Senait Tadesse ◽  
Getachew Kahsu Abay ◽  
Kebede Tesfay ◽  
Abiel Deres ◽  
Teame G/hiwot
Keyword(s):  
Time Pressure ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Medical Laboratory ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Cheating Behavior ◽  
Unknown Reason ◽  
Action Strategies ◽  
Hand Writing

Cheating during examination is now day serious problem spatially in Ethiopia where many students sit in one class to exam.  When cheating occurs in medical schools, it has serious consequences for human life, social values, and the economy. Even though, cheating on exams has existed in any department, with unknown reason, prevalence of cheater among 2nd year laboratory students were high. So that assessing factors and improving cheating behavior of the students are mandatory to create competitive graduated students. To identify factors and to improve cheating behavior action research study design was conducted among 2nd year medical laboratory student. Criterion sampling technique was used to selects sixteen cheater students among 2nd year laboratory students.  To gather necessary data, we used focus group discussions, individual interview, open-ended questionnaire and observation and collected information by using hand writing notes.  During exam different cheating methods used by students like using a system of signals, writing on hands, desks and copy the other students answer. While the compelling reasons for cheating were like hard courses, hard exams, time pressure and fear of failure. To improve cheating behavior of the student’s different action strategies were taken like prepared exam by using code, arrangement sitting style during exam and sit with brainy students during class, reading and discussion. Most students were trying to done exam by themselves but their results are not good as previously. So that, we need more future action plan to avoid cheating behavior of the students.  During, the next action plan we will be taken the remaining main action strategies and  action evaluation we will be expected 50% of participants will be avoided their cheater behavior and done exam independently without forced by the environment.

scholarly journals Assessment of Factors and Improving Cheating Behaviors Among 2nd Year Medical Laboratory Students in Adigrat University, 2018

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Senait Tadesse Bekele ◽  
Getachew Kahsu Abay ◽  
Kebede Tesfay ◽  
Abiel Deres ◽  
Teame G/hiwot
Keyword(s):  
Time Pressure ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Medical Laboratory ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Cheating Behavior ◽  
Unknown Reason ◽  
Action Strategies ◽  
Hand Writing

Cheating during examination is now day serious problem spatially in Ethiopia where many students sit in one class to exam.  When cheating occurs in medical schools, it has serious consequences for human life, social values, and the economy. Even though, cheating on exams has existed in any department, with unknown reason, prevalence of cheater among 2nd year laboratory students were high. So that assessing factors and improving cheating behavior of the students are mandatory to create competitive graduated students. To identify factors and to improve cheating behavior action research study design was conducted among 2nd year medical laboratory student. Criterion sampling technique was used to selects sixteen cheater students among 2nd year laboratory students.  To gather necessary data, we used focus group discussions, individual interview and observation and collected information by using hand writing notes.  During exam different cheating methods used by students like using a system of signals, writing on hands, desks and copy the other students answer. While the compelling reasons for cheating were like hard courses, hard exams, time pressure and fear of failure. To improve cheating behavior of the student’s different action strategies were taken like prepared exam by using code, arrangement sitting style during exam and sit with brainy students during class, reading and discussion. Most students were trying to done exam by themselves but their results are not good as previously. So that, we need more future action plan to avoid cheating behavior of the students.  During, the next action plan we will be taken the remaining main action strategies and  action evaluation we will be expected 50% of participants will be avoided their cheater behavior and done exam independently without forced by the environment.

The Ethical Challenges of Gene Editing

2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (12) ◽  
pp. 3-4
Author(s):  
Jozef Zalot ◽  
Tadeusz Pacholczyk ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Gene Editing ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Genetic Diseases ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Human Embryos ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Oregon Health ◽  
Life Threatening

In August 2017, researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University announced that they had successfully used a gene editing technique known as CRISPR-Cas9 to repair disease-causing genes in human embryos. Some members of the scientific and medical communities have hailed the development as a way to ensure that life- threatening diseases are not passed on to future generations. But is gene editing always a good thing? The Catholic Church encourages scientific research that is ethical and serves the human good. In the future, CRISPR may be used to treat people with serious genetic diseases, such as hemophilia and sickle-cell anemia. However, for research on human beings to be ethical, it must be strictly therapeutic and must respect the dignity and sacredness of human life. Gene-editing techniques raise profound ethical challenges in both respects.

Anorexia nervosa and the gastrointestinal tract

2021 ◽  
pp. flgastro-2021-101857
Author(s):  
Wisam Jafar ◽  
James Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Nutritional Therapy ◽  
Nutrition Support ◽  
Multidisciplinary Teams ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Support Teams ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Acute Admissions

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a complex eating disorder associated with a high morbidity and mortality, however, there is a lack of dedicated training for healthcare professionals outside of mental health specialities. There has been a reported increase in acute admissions of patients with AN, which may have been precipitated by the isolation and loss of support networks created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this review is to highlight that AN can present with a wide variety of signs and symptoms relating to both the hollow and solid organs of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract some of which may even be life threatening. The overlap of symptoms with several other functional and organic GI diseases makes diagnosis challenging. Gastroenterologists and allied healthcare professionals need to be aware of the wide array of possible GI manifestations not only to help rationalise investigations but to also facilitate early involvement of the relevant multidisciplinary teams. Many of the GI manifestations of AN can be reversed with careful nutritional therapy under the guidance of nutrition support teams.

scholarly journals Recognition and response to life-threatening situations among women with perinatal mental illness: a qualitative study

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. e025872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abigail Easter ◽  
Louise Michelle Howard ◽  
Jane Sandall
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Perinatal Period ◽  
Professional Culture ◽  
Near Miss ◽  
Prescribe Medication ◽  
Life Threatening

ObjectiveMental illness has persistently been found to be a leading cause of death during pregnancy and the year after birth (the perinatal period). This study aims to explore barriers to detection, response and escalation of mental health-related life-threatening near miss events among women with perinatal mental illness.DesignQualitative study.ParticipantsHealthcare professionals (HCP) working in psychiatry, maternity and primary care (n=15) across community and hospital maternity and perinatal services within the UK.MethodsIn-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with a range of healthcare professionals working with women during the perinatal period. An iterative process of inductive and deductive thematic analysis, informed by systems theories of healthcare and the Three Delays model, was employed to analyse the data.ResultsThree overarching themes were identified: recognition of severity, communication of risk and service provision and access to treatment. Differing perspectives of mental illness severity influenced how life-threatening situations among women with perinatal mental illness were described, recognised and communicated between teams. Under-resourced mental health service provision, particularly within emergency and specialist perinatal mental health services, unclear thresholds for escalating care and poor infrastructure for sharing information all contributed to delays in a timely response to crisis situations. Reluctance to prescribe medication or admit women to psychiatric hospital, stigma and missed appointments created further delays.ConclusionsResponse and escalation of care for life threatening near miss events among women with mental illness is strongly influenced by professional culture and understandings of mental illness embedded within different healthcare disciplines. Focusing on how differences in organisational and professional culture contribute to the recognition of severe mental illness and interdisciplinary communication may help facilitate clearer co-ordination between teams.

scholarly journals Does It Matter How We Die? Ethical and Legal Issues Raised by Combining Euthanasia and Organ Transplantation

2019 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
pp. 359-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Somerville
Keyword(s):  
Organ Donation ◽  
Organ Transplantation ◽  
Human Dignity ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Definition Of Death ◽  
Dead Donor Rule ◽  
Ethical And Legal Issues ◽  
Definition Of

If, in jurisdictions with legalized euthanasia, obtaining organs for transplant from euthanized people is allowed, must their organs be taken only after death or should euthanasia be allowed to be performed by removal of vital organs? Asked another way, if “Donation after Death” is practiced, why not “Death by Donation?” The article addresses two questions. First, “What issues does connecting euthanasia and organ donation raise?” They include dealing with uncertainty regarding the definition of death, defining what constitutes conscientiously objecting healthcare professionals' involvement in euthanasia, and whether connecting euthanasia and transplantation makes conflicts of interest for healthcare professionals unavoidable. Additional issues raised by death by donation include breach of the “dead-donor rule”; what would constitute informed consent to it; and what impact its acceptance would have on important foundational societal values, especially respect for human dignity and human life. The second question is “Why might some people who agree with euthanasia and even organ donation after death by euthanasia find death by donation ethically unacceptable?” Considerations again include its harmful impact on upholding respect for human dignity and human life and that the “wisdom of repugnance” could be informing these people's reaction. It is concluded that in order to avoid serious breaches of ethics, organ transplantation and euthanasia should not be linked in any way.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document