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Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care
Published on: February 16, 2011
The Need for an Effective Process to Resolve Conflicts Over Medical Futility: A Case Study and Analysis
Jocelyn A Olmstead1,2, Michael D Dahnke3,4
1Jocelyn A. Olmstead is in the online master's of nursing-family nurse practitioner program at Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and works as a staff nurse in the emergency department at Johns Hopkins Bayview in Baltimore, Maryland.
Medical futility cases need fair processes for resolution. A reviewable, procedural approach can help settle disputes ethically, avoiding court intervention when possible, especially for critical care nurses.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Healthcare Law
- Critical Care Nursing
Background:
- Medical futility cases present complex ethical and legal challenges.
- Traditional medical paternalism is insufficient for resolving these disputes.
- Critical care nurses face moral distress and expanding roles in futility cases.
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