Fluent Essays

For this Discussion, Please Read Chapter 4 on the Healthcare Ethics Committee, and Answer the Following Questions: What is the purpose of the ethics committee? Question 1: Discuss the functions of an ethics committee. Make sure you start with the introduction and an explanation of what the ethics committee is. Discuss the purpose and the functions. Think about why you are choosing certain functions. Have you had a personal experience or work experience with the ethics committee? Seek outside sources when necessary. Please provide links to your sources, or provide a citation. PLEASE RESPOND TO BOTH OF THESE POST: RESPOND: During the 1960s, an Ethics committee was formed in the United States, with the following individuals medical, nonmedical individuals apart from the hospital staff, consisting of physicians, nurses, administrators, and patient advocates (Prozgar, 2020). In contrast, the group also consists of those within the community; for instance, clergy, legal counsel, such as lawyers, are beneficial for any discrepancies. Having an ethics committee is essential, and every individual must understand; since they play a critical role in their medical decision-making process.  An ethics committees primary focus is enhancing the patient-physician relationship while supporting any medical decision being contemplated. According to our textbook, a patients needs, interests, and rights are a top priority for an ethics committee (Prozgar, 2020). Implementation of the ethics committee gives patients the ability to receive the correct information and their wishes recognized for their health care.  Concerning themselves with issues establish mortality, patient autonomy, state, and legislative interest; hence, provide ethic committees an ability to assist in situations they are required. Furthermore, ethics committees must respect the privacy of every party that may be involved in a crisis.  Ethics committees have many different functions; for instance, they provide areas where the Ethics committee can discuss ethical and moral issues regarding individuals medical care. Another role is educating a patient on their rights and what is expected from medical staff and faculty taking care of them. The ethics committees implementation serves numerous beneficial qualities; for instance, they serve as audience members and support medical staff, families, and even patients if issues arise. It also provides help cleaning up any information not comprehended during a patients hospital visit or stay. (Pozgar, 2020). Another function of the committee is it provides information to patients regarding how the patients can reach their medical staff and the issues they may be able to help when a patient is first admitted into a hospital or medical facility. Finally, the ethics committee is also in charge of creating and assisting in policy and procedure guidelines to resolve ethical and moral dilemmas; also assisting with case reviews and consultations with patients or caregivers about moral or ethical issues.  Personally I have experience with the ethics committee, I had brain surgery about 6 years ago and had a night terror the night of the brain surgery, and my dad had told me that it had been okay, and I had no idea who he had been. While the doctors and nurses had come in and said that I might have been dealing with trauma from the surgery and a potential overdose of a medication, which my parents hadnt been pleased with, so the individuals were spoken to by their supervisors, but thats all I remember.  Question of the week: How do you think committee members deal with their own ethical or moral dilemmas? RESPOND:  Ethics committee oversees in making sure that the medical research, participants/human subjects, experiments follow thru the ethical manner inline of the rules and policies. The committee was first introduced in United States in the year 1960 focused the care of “Quinlan case” (Pozgar,2020). In 1976 the parents of Quinlan were granted to have the permission from the New Jersey Supreme Court that Karen Quinlan’s ventilator to be removed after a year being in a coma. The ethics committee delivered a continues progress in developing guideline procedures, rules and policies. According to the book “A healthcare ethics committee is an advisory body whose purpose is to facilitate discussion and consultation on ethical issues arising in the patient care setting” (Pozgar,2020). It is important for the ethical comities to attain their purpose in the organization to identify the needs of the patient or participant base in their principles and interest to offer and deliver improved patient care. The ethics committee functions are making decisions, advocate what path of actions needed, give recommendations to be able to evaluate cases to come up with final decision. I chose this function of the ethic committee because every situation or cases needs to have this system to be able to analyze the situation properly and to be present reasonable outcome. I don’t have any experienced with the ethics committee but in my opinion, they play a vital role in the organization and society.Chapter 4 Healthcare Ethics Committee As you read Chapter 4, please take the time to think of the many ethical issues that medical professionals, patients, and families face each day. Learning Objectives Describe the function and purpose of ethics committees. Describe the structure and goals of ethics committees. Explain the consultation process of ethics committees. Describe the expanding role of ethics committees. Discuss why the resolution of ethical dilemmas is no easy task. Ethics Committees A healthcare ethics committee is an advisory body whose purpose is to facilitate discussion and consultation on ethical issues arising in the patient care setting. Committee Composition Ethicist Educator Caregiver Legal advisor Political leader Religious leader Corporate leader Committee Goals (1 or 3) Provide a forum for review and discussion of ethical and moral issues relative to patient care. Provide information to patients as to the functioning of the ethics committee and how to access the committee at the time of admission. Serve as support and resource for hospital staff, families, and patients. Committee Goals (2 of 3) Provide consultation, as requested, when there are conflicts in care options. Provide assistance in clarifying situations that are ethical, legal, or religious in nature that extend beyond the scope of daily practice. Clarify issues and discuss alternatives to ethical dilemmas. Committee Goals (3 of 3) Assist the patient and family in coming to consensus with the options that best meet the patient’s care needs. Review cases for educational purposes. Enhance the ethical tenor of both the hospital and healthcare professionals. Promote patient rights. Committee Functions Develop policies and procedures Education Consultation and conflict resolution Review ethics committee’s effectiveness Education (1 of 3) Ethics committee members Community Patients and family Staff Ambulatory care facilities Home health agencies Long-term care facilities Physician office practices Education (2 of 3) Recognize time commitment. Include training in philosophy, religion, medicine, and law. Include formal training and experience in clinical ethics. Develop and distribute appropriate materials for committee members, caregivers, patients, and family. Education (3 of 3) Promote patient rights Right to self-determination (autonomy) Accept or reject care and treatment Right to ethics committee consultation Consultation and Conflict Resolution Requests for committee consultations Provide guidance, not decisions Strive to achieve consensus when addressing care dilemmas Requests for Consultation (1 of 2) Clarification of issues Determining decision-making capacity Informed consent Advance directives Withdrawal of treatment Should be conducted in a timely manner Requests for Consultation (2 of 2) Who may request a consultation? Patient Family member Staff Physician Conducting a Consultation