The ethics committee in the nursing home. Results of a national survey

As the complexity, prevalence and visibility of ethical dilemmas in medical care of the elderly have grown, hospitals and nursing homes have attempted to develop mechanisms for responding to these difficult ethical issues. While it is known that many hospitals rely on education and advice provided by an ethics committee, little data exist on the responses of nursing homes, despite the unique nature of ethical issues in a long-term care setting. The present paper reports findings from a national survey of administrators of 4504 nursing homes in which mechanisms for handling ethical dimensions in patient care were investigated. Results from 29% of respondents reveal that few nursing homes have established ethics committees (2% of the sample) and that committee formation appears positively associated with facility size and religious affiliation. Committees that have been formed engage in policy review (81%), advisory case review (67%) and education (45%). Few committees include patients or their representatives as members, and few have the authority to make binding decisions (26%). While the most effective response to ethical issues in medical decision-making is being debated, standing committees provide one means to contribute to the quality of decision-making by patients, their family members and their physicians. However, broader inclusion of patient perspectives and education of members regarding ethical analysis are necessary precursors to effective functioning of ethics committees in long-term care.