How physiotherapists perceive,interpret, and respond to the ethical dimensions of practice: A qualitative study

The profile and reach of physiotherapy has expanded in areas of extended scope of practice, and broader engagement with population needs beyond the individual treatment encounter. These changes raise increasingly complex ethical challenges evidenced by growth in physiotherapy-based ethics studies and discussions. This paper examines how a broad cross section of Australian physiotherapists perceive, interpret, and respond to ethical challenges in their work contexts and how professional codes of conduct are used in their practice. Using an interpretive qualitative methodology, purposive sampling of 88 members of national clinical special interest groups were recruited for focus group discussions. Narrative-based and thematic data analysis identified ethical challenges as emerging from specific clinical contexts, and influenced by health organizations, funding policies, workplace relationships, and individually held perspectives. Five themes were developed to represent these findings: (1) the working environment, (2) balancing diverse needs and expectation, (3) defining ethics, (4) striving to act ethically, and (5) talking about ethics. The results portray a diverse and complex ethical landscape where therapists encounter and grapple with ethical questions emerging from the impact of funding models and policies affecting clinical work, expanding boundaries and scope of practice and changing professional roles and relationships. Codes of conduct were described as foundational ethical knowledge but not always helpful for “in the moment” ethical decision-making. Based on this research, we suggest how codes of conduct, educators, and professional associations could cultivate and nurture ethics capability in physiotherapy practitioners for these contemporary challenges.     

护士社会支持对道德困境的影响研究

目的探讨护士社会支持对道德困境的影响,为帮助护士应对工作中的道德困境提供理论基础。方法采用社会支持评定量表和护士道德困境量表对387名护士进行问卷调查。结果护士社会支持总分(38.62±5.81)分,客观支持(8.63±2.62)分,主观支持(21.64±4.75)分,支持利用度(8.45±2.81)分。护士道德困境量表条目频率为(1.14±0.54)分,强度为(1.03±0.32)分,总体得分为(1.15±0.42)分,表明护士道德困境发生频率和强度均较低。职称、学历、是否独生子女、社会支持是护士道德困境的影响因素。结论社会支持会负向影响护士的道德困境,提高护士社会支持水平,扩大护士社会支持的来源,是应对护士道德困境的有效途径。     

Nurses' Conflicting Values in Competitively Managed Health Care

The combined effect of the medical model of care and a philosophy of health care as a business is threatening the complex human interactions that are essential to nursing. In the United States, nursing in 1999 is practiced in an environment that restricts understanding of its value and purpose.     

Do Not Resuscitate orders and older patients: findings from an ethnographic study of hospital wards for older people

BACKGROUND AND AIM: This paper reports on the findings from an ethnographic study involving three wards in two hospitals in the Northwest of England and focuses on the controversial issue of Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders. The study aimed to explore the way in which terminal care was provided to older patients and examined the way in which DNR orders were a socially constructed part of the practices of both nurses and doctors. METHOD: An ethnographic approach was adopted that used participant observation and semi-structured interviews with nurses and doctors. A purposive sample of 28 qualified nurses and five medical staff were interviewed. The decision-making process of DNR orders became the focus of the interview questions. FINDINGS: The findings reveal that DNR decision-making was largely socially constructed from the interactions of hospital staff. Patients were not asked their preference and were excluded from any decision-making about Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) or DNR orders. Two major findings emerge. First, DNR orders and the non-use of CPR could be seen as a form of medical beneficence, resulting from the often described paternalistic attitudes of hospital doctors. Second, there was a clear indication that DNR orders and the non-use of CPR for certain patients was based on improving the quality of patients' lives. CONCLUSION: The study raises issues about the quality of care received by frail older patients whom the nurses felt would not survive a futile medical procedure. The conclusion considers the need for hospitals to formulate and implement CPR policies, particularly in the prevailing climate in which patients are encouraged to become active participants in their own health care.     

Effectiveness and acceptability of non-pharmacological interventions to reduce wandering in dementia: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Wandering occurs in 15-60% of people with dementia. Psychosocial interventions rather than pharmacological methods are recommended, but evidence for their effectiveness is limited and there are ethical concerns associated with some non-pharmacological approaches, such as electronic tracking devices. OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical and cost effectiveness and acceptability of non-pharmacological interventions to reduce wandering in dementia. DESIGN: A systematic review to evaluate effectiveness of the interventions and to assess acceptability and ethical issues associated with their use. The search and review strategy, data extraction and analysis followed recommended guidance. Papers of relevance to effectiveness, acceptability and ethical issues were sought. RESULTS: (i) Clinical effectiveness. Eleven studies, including eight randomised controlled trials, of a variety of interventions, met the inclusion criteria. There was no robust evidence to recommend any intervention, although there was some weak evidence for exercise. No relevant studies to determine cost effectiveness met the inclusion criteria. (ii) Acceptability/ethical issues. None of the acceptability papers reported directly the views of people with dementia. Exercise and music therapy were the most acceptable interventions and raised no ethical concerns. Tracking and tagging devices were acceptable to carers but generated considerable ethical debate. Physical restraints were considered unacceptable. CONCLUSIONS: In order to reduce unsafe wandering high quality research is needed to determine the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions that are practically and ethically acceptable to users. It is important to establish the views of people with dementia on the acceptability of such interventions prior to evaluating their effectiveness through complex randomised controlled trials.     

关于中医药防治SARS的若干思考

SARS病因为疫疠之气，病变部位在肺，以传染性强为特点，故其命名似以肺疫、肺毒疫、或肺温疫为宜。其治疗：在实证阶段可使用泻下通液法，早期用药可阻断病情，减轻症状，极期用药可泻毒清热，降低病死率。加用芳香除湿化浊药物，以针对此次发病温毒挟湿侵犯人体的病机。并介绍截断疗法、综合治疗在SARS的治疗中均有积极意义。应从多层面、多角度进行治疗。     

抓医德建设工程 促医院全面发展

介绍了同济医院医德建设工程的内容和从抓教育、抓组织、抓制度、抓专项治理方面入手抓落实,并以“活动”为载体,促进了医院全面发展和医院综合实力提高的经验和做法。     

A critical evaluation of the theory and practice of therapeutic touch

Abstract In this paper, the theory and practice of therapeutic touch (TT) is scrutinized from a number of perspectives. Firstly, the alleged close relationship between TT and Martha Rogers’ Science of Unitary Human Beings is evaluated. Secondly, the employment of the language of modern physics in Rogers’ theory and TT is critically examined. The authors then review the research literature on TT's efficacy, completing their critique by discussing the ethical issues involved in the practice of TT. As each of the perspectives considered reveals some concerns, the paper concludes that TT is a questionable intervention, underpinned by a very weak theoretical, clinical and research base.     

Moral theories may have some role in teaching applied ethics

In a recent paper, Rob Lawlor argues that moral theories should not be taught in courses on applied ethics. The author contends that Dr Lawlor's arguments overlook at least two important roles that some attention to ethical theories may play in practical ethics courses. The conclusion is not that moral theory must be taught, but rather that there is more to be said for it than Dr Lawlor's arguments reveal.