Ethics – JournalFeed

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Need in medicine describes what is missing and the necessary corrective action (i.e. you need a transfusion), but this wording allows little latitude for discussion with patients and families. However, saying, “Can we talk about what this means and what to do next?” allows for dialogue without presuming the desired course of action.

Source
Reconsidering the Language of Serious Illness. JAMA. 2023 Aug 15;330(7):587-588. doi: 10.1001/jama.2023.11409.

Apr 24 2023

Pregnancy and Residency – Laboring for Equity

Education, Ethics, Health Policy, OB/GYN, Wellness

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Though incremental progress has occurred over the last several decades, inequities loom for people that wish to become pregnant during medical training.

Source
Pregnancy and Residency – Overdue for Equity. N Engl J Med. 2023 Mar 16;388(11):966-967. doi: 10.1056/NEJMp2215288. Epub 2023 Mar 11.

Apr 17 2023

Can ChatGPT Write Journal Articles?

Ethics, Technology

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ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence software that is being explored for scientific writing. While there is great potential for utilizing this in the medical field, it should not be used in isolation and requires human oversight for both concept proof and personalization.

Source
Can artificial intelligence help for scientific writing? Crit Care. 2023 Feb 25;27(1):75. doi: 10.1186/s13054-023-04380-2.

Mar 8 2023

Diagnostic Error in EM – Pushback on the AHRQ

Ethics, Health Policy

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Diagnostic errors in the ED occur at rates similar to those in other clinical settings. Not all errors have human causes, and not all are inevitable – this article suggests systems-level opportunities for improvement.

Mar 7 2023

Bad News – You May Be Bad at Delivering Bad News

Education, Ethics, Practice of EM

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When delivering bad news, authenticity is the name of the game.

Source
Delivering Bad News Badly. JAMA. 2023 Feb 14;329(6):463-464. doi: 10.1001/jama.2022.24765.

Mar 6 2023

Verbal and Physical Violence in an Urban ED Setting

Ethics, Health Policy, Wellness

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Violence directed at healthcare workers (HCWs) is common in the ED setting. Studies have demonstrated workplace violence is underreported and can have long term effects on HCWs.

Source
Exploring verbal and physical workplace violence in a large, urban emergency department. Am J Emerg Med. 2023 Jan 27;67:1-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2023.01.036. Epub ahead of print.

Nov 15 2022

Showing Vulnerability When We Miss the Diagnosis

Ethics, Wellness

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This op-ed piece highlights the emotional toll missed diagnoses may take on physicians. The author eloquently reflects on how this experience taught her vulnerability and ultimately strengthened her relationship with this patient.

Source
Elizabeth A Fleming Notes on Healing After a Missed Diagnosis. JAMA. 2022 Oct 4;328(13):1297-1298. doi: 10.1001/jama.2022.15724.

Aug 31 2022

Should We Add Spiritual Care to Our Critical Care?

Critical Care, Ethics, Wellness

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Spirituality is a part of the human experience and can be a mechanism to improve patient-centered care.

Jul 1 2022

Physicians Spreading Misinformation on Social Media – What Are the Consequences?

Ethics

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The COVID pandemic revealed that misinformation can impede the dissemination of evidence based medicine. This article calls for institutional reform such that physicians who spread misinformation are held accountable.

Source
Physicians Spreading Misinformation on Social Media – Do Right and Wrong Answers Still Exist in Medicine? N Engl J Med. 2022 May 18. doi: 10.1056/NEJMp2204813. Epub ahead of print.

Jun 17 2022

50 Years Since Tuskegee Syphilis Study – What Lessons Have We Learned?

Ethics

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We need to understand our recent history. The syphilis study is a story we must tell, internalize, and learn from so we won’t make the same mistakes again.

Source
Fiftieth Anniversary of Uncovering the Tuskegee Syphilis Study: The Story and Timeless Lessons. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2022 May 15;205(10):1145-1158. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202201-0136SO.