Ethics News
Section and working groups
The Ethics section is led by Rik Gerritsen and Christiane Hartog.
Research – Trials
End-of-life practices in intensive care units around the world. This multicentre study will allow us to observe and describe actual end of life practices in ICUs of several countries.
We aim to determine their overall incidence, to document variations in the pattern of practice and to analyse similarities and differences in terms of variables that might explain the findings.
Research – Surveys
Investigation of a possible correlation between end-of-life care and the presence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in intensive care patients.
Results:
End-of-life treatment and bacterial antibiotic resistance: a potential association.
Relevant research
Mark J. Peters et al. The intensive care medicine clinical research agenda in paediatrics.
> Read more (Free Access)
Hans Flaatten et al. The status of intensive care medicine research and a future agenda for very old patients in the ICU.
> Read more (Free Access)
How Family Members Perceive Goals for Dying Nursing Home Residents.
> Read more
Withholding and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments in low-middle-income versus high-income Asian countries and regions
> Read more
The ETHICA study (part II): simulation study of determinants and variability of ICU physician decisions in patients aged 80 or over.
The study aims to assess physician decisions about ICU admission for life-sustaining treatments (LSTs)
> Read more
Global variability in withholding and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment in the intensive care unit: a systematic review.
> Read more
Article Reviews
Improving decision-making with family members of nursing home residents
Dementia is a common disease in old age and most of the patients with late-stage dementia both reside and die in nursing homes.
> Read this article review
Burnout Syndrome in Critical Care: A Call for Action
Burnout syndrom is triggered by a discrepancy between the expectations and ideals of the employee and the actual requirements of his position.
> Read this article review
Withholding and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments: Examining the socioeconomic factors
> Read this article review
Decisions to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment: Is there global variability?
> Read this article review
Examining Data from the TTM trial: Neurologic Function & QOL in OOHCA Patients
> Read this article review
Long term HRQOL – For how long should we follow-up on our patients?
> Read this article review
Does shortage of ICU-beds influence triage decisions?
> Read this article review
Suggested talks
Worldwide End-of-Life Practice for Patients in Intensive Care Units: WELPICUS Results
In this icTV interview, Charles Sprung discusses the results from his long-term study WELPICUS, which examined the variance in end of life decisions made by physicians at the bedside.
Interview with an Expert
In this icTV interview, J Randall Curtis provides some guidance on the changing focus of the ICU – where often improving quality of dying must become the aim of intensive care staff. He highlights what essential elements are needed to ensure the process is as smooth and calm as possible.
Family Presence during CPR: Harmful or Beneficial?
In this icTV interview, Patricia Jabre discusses her multi-centre, randomised, controlled trial which explored the previously unstudied effects of offering patient’s family the option of witnessing these interventions.
For more information, read the related NEJM article – Family Presence during Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (2013)
