| Popis: |
T ODAY'S PRACTICING intensivist is likely to face ethically challenging situations with regularity. This is because in addition to the background frequency of ethical issues encountered in general practice, intensivists work in an environment in which end-of-life decisions are made commonly and life-sustaining technology is readily available, greatly increasing the frequency of these scenarios. To deal effectively with ethically charged situations in the intensive care unit (ICU), perhaps the most important tool is a solid grounding in the basics of medical decision making. Accordingly, this report provides the reader with a discussion of informed consent and surrogate decision making, as well as sections that address factors that may modify these general approaches, such as the role of family interests in medical decision making and the possible futility of medical intervention. Beyond these issues, decisions to forego lifesustaining therapy merit special consideration for the intensivist. Therefore, we end with a section on the ethical considerations surrounding this important and frequently difficult situation. |
