ABSTRACT
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine which factors can be considered protective of ethical conflicts in intensive care unit healthcare professionals during a pandemic. BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to new ethical concerns in relation to the management of public health and the limitations on personal freedom. Continued exposure to ethical conflict can have a range of psychological consequences. DESIGN: A qualitative design based on phenomenological approach. METHODS: A total of 38 nurses and physicians who were regular staff members of Barcelona and Milan's public tertiary university hospitals and working in intensive care units during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured online in-depth interviews were conducted. A thematic analysis was performed by two independent researchers following the seven steps of Colaizzi's methods. We adhere COREQ guidelines. RESULTS: One theme 'Protective factors of ethical conflict in sanitary crisis' and four subthemes emerged from the data: (1) knowledge of the infectious disease, (2) good communication environment, (3) psychological support and (4) keeping the same work team together. CONCLUSIONS: Four elements can be considered protective factors of ethical conflict for healthcare professionals during a sanitary crisis. While some of these factors have already been described, the joint identification of this set of four factors as a single element is, in itself, novel. This should help in ensuring the right mechanisms are in place to face future pandemics and should serve to improve institutional organisation and guarantee safe and high-quality patient care in times of healthcare crisis. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Future strategies for the prevention of ethical conflict during sanitary crises, pandemics or other catastrophes need to consider a set of four factors as a single element. These factors are the knowledge of the infectious disease, a good communication environment, psychological support and keeping the same work team together into joint consideration.
ABSTRACT
AIM AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the sources of ethical conflict and the decision-making processes of ICU nurses and physicians during the first and subsequent waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. BACKGROUND: Depside several studies exploring ethical conflicts during COVID-19 pandemic, few studies have explored in depth the perceptions and experiences of critical care professionals regarding these conflicts, the decision-making process or which have analysed the complexity of actually implementing the recommendations of scientific societies and professional/healthcare institutions in interdisciplinary samples. DESIGN: A descriptive phenomenological study. METHODS: Thirty-eight in-depth interviews were conducted with critical care nurses and physicians from five hospitals in Spain and Italy between December 2020 and May 2021. A thematic content analysis of the interview transcripts was conducted by two researchers. Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) were employed to ensure the quality and transparency of this study. RESULTS: Two main themes emerged as sources of ethical conflict: the approach to end of life in exceptional circumstances and the lack of humanisation and care resources. The former comprised two subthemes: end-of-life care and withholding and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment; the latter comprised three subthemes: the impossibility of guaranteeing the same opportunities to all, fear of contagion as a barrier to taking decisions and the need to humanise care. CONCLUSIONS: Professionals sought to take their decisions in line with professional ethics and bioethical principles, but, nevertheless, they experienced moral dilemmas and moral distress when not being able to care for, or to treat, their patients as they believed fit. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Further education and training are recommended on the provision of end-of-life and post-mortem care, effective communication techniques via video calls, disclosure of bad news and bioethical models for decision-making in highly demanding situations of uncertainty, such as those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pandemics , Humans , Decision Making , COVID-19/epidemiology , Critical Care , Qualitative ResearchABSTRACT
La actual pandemia por la COVID-19 está ocasionado serias amenazas para la salud pública a nivel mundial, especialmente para los grupos de población más vulnerables. Los casos más graves de la enfermedad han sido primeramente atendidos por los profesionales de urgencias y emergencias, los cuales han tenido que tomar decisiones en contextos altamente complejos donde la priorización en la asignación de los recursos sanitarios disponibles les ha generado situaciones éticamente conflictivas. El objetivo del presente artículo es analizar la importancia de implantar la PDA en los servicios de urgencias y emergencias como herramienta de consulta en la resolución de los problemas éticos surgidos durante la pandemia por COVID-19, concretamente, en la atención al paciente crónico complejo o con enfermedad crónica avanzada The events of the present CoVID-19 pandemic are causing serious threats to Public Health worldwide, specifically at the most vulnerable population groups. Emergency professionals have served as the first responders for the most serious cases of this disease. At the same time, they have made decisions in highly complex contexts where the prioritization of allocated care resources has generated ethically conflictive situations. The aim of this article is to analyze the importance of implementing the ACP as a tool in the emergency services to solve ethical problems that have arisen during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the care of complex chronic patients or those with advanced chronic disease L'actual pandèmia per la COVID-19 està ocasionat serioses amenaces a la salut pública a nivell mundial, especialment als grups de població més vulnerables. Els casos més greus de la malaltia han estat primerament atesos pels professionals d'urgències I emergències, els quals han hagut de prendre decisions en contextos altament complexos on la priorització en l'assignació dels recursos sanitaris disponibles els ha generat situacions èticament conflictives. L'objectiu d'aquest article va ser analitzar la importància d'implantar la PDA en els serveis d'urgències I emergències com a eina de consulta a la resolució dels problemes ètics sorgits durant la pandèmia per COVID-19, concretament, en l'atenció al pacient crònic complex o amb malaltia crònica avançada