[Clinical Ethics in Neurological Emergencies and Critical Care]

The author has examined the characteristics of clinical ethics regarding neurological emergencies and critical care. Ethics are involved in areas such as emergency medicine standards, intensive care strategies for brain dead patients who are followed by organ donation as well as those who do not donate their organs, resulting in cardiac deaths, and serious problems about distributing medical resources among the elder in extremely aged society. We must understand not only that we encounter a variety of fluctuating patient emotions in emergency rooms, but also that it is difficult or even impossible for many patients with a disturbance in consciousness to express what is on their minds. Therefore in many cases, we need to consider the patient's dignity be of the ultimate priority and that one of the most important duties for medical personnel is to display autonomy in utilizing the principle of benevolence. Additionally, hospital administrative staff should fully support the autonomy of doctors and other medical personnel.