Multiprofessional Critical Care Review: Adult 2024 (MCCRCA24ON)-Ethics and Palliative Considerations in Critical Care

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The transcript outlines various ethical dilemmas and principles in critical care, focusing primarily on clinical ethics consultations and the doctrine of double effect. The discussion opens with a real-world scenario involving an 82-year-old COVID-19 patient whose deteriorating condition leads to a complex decision-making process between aggressive treatment and concerns of ethically prolonging suffering. Another case involves an 86-year-old woman with metastatic cancer, highlighting conflicts between patient wishes for peaceful death and family demands for all possible interventions.<br /><br />Key points include understanding the indications, expected outcomes, and terms used in clinical ethics consultations, such as the ethical principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and autonomy. The doctrine of double effect is emphasized, which allows for pain relief even if it unintentionally hastens death, as long as the primary intention is to alleviate suffering.<br /><br />The speaker stresses the importance of shared decision-making, addressing concepts like informed non-dissent and resolving value-laden conflicts without offering futile treatments. Legal and ethical guidelines support the withholding or withdrawal of life support when medically appropriate while ensuring decisions align with the patient's and family's values. The transcript concludes with discussion on managing moral distress and compassion fatigue among caregivers, especially in the context of COVID-19.

Keywords

ethical dilemmas

clinical ethics consultations

doctrine of double effect

shared decision-making

beneficence

non-maleficence

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.