Evaluation of a paediatric clinical ethics service

To evaluate a paediatric clinical ethics service incorporating both normative and empirical analysis.

Section 1: Review of consensus guidelines to identify emerging standards for clinical ethics services (CES) and evaluation of the service in relation to these. Section 2: Description of service activity data. Section 3: Feedback from clinical staff involved in clinical ethics consultations was collected using a web-based survey.

Four guideline documents were reviewed, and clear emerging consensus standards were identified. Our service fulfils identified knowledge and skill core competencies and at least partially fulfils all of the identified service-level standards. Clinicians report that clinical ethics consultation decreases their moral distress.

There is emerging consensus for staff competencies and service-level standards for CES. The role of CES in staff well-being needs to be explored. Collaborative, multi-modal research to develop standards and evaluate CES is needed.