Multiprofessional Critical Care Review: Adult 2024 (MCCRCA24ON)-07

07_Ethical Challenges

Pdf Summary

The document discusses ethical challenges in ICU care, particularly focused on clinical ethics consultations, medication administration at the end of life, differentiating between aid in dying, euthanasia, and compassionate extubation, discerning futile vs. potentially inappropriate treatments, and ethically appropriate decision-making within a model of family-centered care. It presents several case studies illustrating complex ethical dilemmas in ICU care involving patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, metastatic cancer, and stroke. The importance of shared decision-making with patients or their surrogates, considerations for end-of-life care, and the principle of double effect are highlighted throughout. The document emphasizes the need for clear documentation, communication, and adherence to ethical principles when making decisions, particularly in end-of-life scenarios. The discussion extends to issues of moral distress, compassion fatigue, and self-care among caregivers in the ICU setting. Lastly, the implications of ethics in the era of COVID-19, including resource allocation, visitor restrictions, and unilateral do not resuscitate orders, are also addressed.

Keywords

ICU care

clinical ethics consultations

end-of-life care

aid in dying

compassionate extubation

futile treatments

family-centered care

COVID-19

shared decision-making

moral distress

	Society of Critical Care Medicine 500 Midway Drive Mount Prospect, IL 60056 USA Phone: +1 847 827-6888 Fax: +1 847 439-7226 Email: support@sccm.org	Contact Us About SCCM Newsroom Advertising & Sponsorship DONATE	MySCCM LearnICU Patients & Families Surviving Sepsis Campaign Critical Care Societies Collaborative	GET OUR NEWSLETTER
© Society of Critical Care Medicine. All rights reserved. \| Privacy Statement \| Terms & Conditions The Society of Critical Care Medicine, SCCM, and Critical Care Congress are registered trademarks of the Society of Critical Care Medicine.