Teaching ethics in the operating theatre by small group teaching

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Ethics
• Healthcare Professional Training

Background:

• Ethics is crucial for theatre staff in multidisciplinary teams, especially with unconscious patients during surgery.
• Ethics education is often overlooked in surgical training, leading to a lack of confidence among doctors in applying ethical principles clinically.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a format and teaching tools for small group ethics sessions for the entire theatre team.
• To enhance the teaching of ethics in surgical settings.

Main Methods:

• Development of a classroom-based teaching format for ethics.
• Inclusion of strategies to stimulate debate and ground rules for smooth session conduct.
• Focus on small group discussions for theatre staff.

Main Results:

• The proposed format and tools are suitable for the whole theatre team.
• Strategies are outlined to encourage active participation and discussion.

Conclusions:

• Reinforces undergraduate ethics education during clinical placements.
• Benefits medical staff and patients by addressing the vital, often neglected, topic of surgical ethics.