Introduction
This text discusses the emergence and importance of ethics committees in hospitals. It is a concept that came into existence in the late 1960s and early 1970s due to various high-profile medical cases raising ethical issues. The composition of these committees usually includes a diverse group of professionals to ensure a wide range of perspectives on complex ethical issues that may arise during patient care.
The Role and Evolution of Ethics Committees in Healthcare
Ethics committees in hospitals began to appear in the late 1960s and early 1970s, primarily in response to several high-profile medical cases that raised controversial ethical questions (Berlinger et al., 2020). The three most famous cases that led to the development of ethics committees are the Karen Ann Quinlan case in 1975, the Baby Doe case in 1982, and the Nancy Cruzan case in 1990. These cases brought to the fore issues related to end-of-life decisions, treatment of disabled newborns, and the right to refuse life-sustaining treatment, respectively.
If I were to form an ethics committee for a hospital, I would want to include a diverse group of individuals with varying perspectives and expertise. This group would include physicians, nurses, social workers, hospital administrators, lawyers, and community members (Post & Blustein, 2021).
The primary function of an ethics committee is to guide on ethical dilemmas encountered during patient care. The committee would address end-of-life decisions, informed consent, confidentiality, resource allocation, and treatment refusal. An ethics committee has no legal authority to direct the healthcare team, but its recommendations are highly influential and can guide the team’s decision-making process (Pouralizadeh et al., 2020). The committee’s role is advisory and consultative, not authoritative.
Personally, I would want to be involved in such a committee. Participating in an ethics committee would provide a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of ethical guidelines and policies that would improve patient care (Targher et al., 2020). Being a part of an ethics committee would be challenging, given the complexity and sensitivity of the issues addressed, but it would also be rewarding in its potential to positively impact the delivery of healthcare.
Conclusion
In conclusion, hospital ethics committees emerged in response to controversial medical cases that posed complex ethical dilemmas. They serve a critical advisory role, guiding healthcare providers. Participating in these committees not only fosters ethical awareness among healthcare professionals but also contributes to improving patient care.
References
Berlinger, N., Wynia, M., Powell, T., Hester, D. M., Milliken, A., Fabi, R., & Jenks, N. P. (2020). Ethical framework for health care institutions responding to novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) guidelines for institutional ethics services responding to COVID-19. The Hastings Center, 12(3), 1-12.
Post, L. F., & Blustein, J. (2021). Handbook for health care ethics committees. JHU Press.
Pouralizadeh, M., Bostani, Z., Maroufizadeh, S., Ghanbari, A., Khoshbakht, M., Alavi, S. A., & Ashrafi, S. (2020). Anxiety and depression and the related factors in nurses of Guilan University of Medical Sciences hospitals during COVID-19: A web-based cross-sectional study. International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, 13, 100233.
Targher, G., Mantovani, A., Wang, X. B., Yan, H. D., Sun, Q. F., Pan, K. H., & Zheng, M. H. (2020). Patients with diabetes are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Diabetes & Metabolism, 46(4), 335.