HEC consortium survey: current perspectives of physicians and nurses

At the request of the Midwest Bioethics Center (MBC), we surveyed nurses' and physicians' attitudes and needs regarding Hospital Ethics Committees (HECs). The primary objective of this research project was to inform the practices and policies of the Ethics Committee Consortium of the Bioethics Center. Four thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine surveys were distributed to the medical and nursing staff of eight Kansas City metropolitan area hospitals. One thousand and fifty-five surveys were returned, representing a response rate of 21%. This survey examined five areas believed to be related to nurse and physician use of and participation on HECs: [1] Training in Biomedical Ethics; [2] Nature and Purpose of HECs; [3] HEC Functions-Case Consultation; [4] Ethical Decision-Making and Patient Care; and [5] Continuing Education. Important findings include lack of knowledge regarding whether case review is required or optional, and whether recommendations are binding or advisory; a perception that training in medical ethics was inadequate; and a strong indication that HECs should be accessible. These findings are consistent with and extend the findings of prior descriptive research in this area.