How we teach ethics and communication during a Canadian neonatal perinatal medicine residency: an interactive...

Ethically challenging clinical situations frequently confront health care professionals in neonatology. These situations require neonatologists to exercise professionalism by communicating effectively throughout evolving physician-parent relationships in order to arrive at shared decisions for care that are in the best interest of the neonate and grounded solidly in ethical precepts.

This article describes the process by which a well-delineated, interactive program to teach ethical reasoning and skillful communication with parents was implemented at the University of Ottawa, Canada.

A revised ethics program implemented in 2009 identified competencies that should be demonstrated at the end of the Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine (NPM) residency. Several seminars were refined while new workshops, problem-based learning in ethics, and a personal portfolio were added.

All teaching strategies were well received based on the average level of satisfaction (5.8 out of 7, SD 0.4). We are now moving forward by formally assessing our program including the impact on knowledge acquisition and behavior.

A dedicated, interactive competency-based neonatal ethics teaching program is vital to support NPM trainees in learning how to integrate ethical thinking with competencies in communication.