The ethics committee plays a critical role in enforcing advanced directives and helping decide
care for patients. One source describes the ethics committee as “hospital ethics committees are “a
body of persons established by a hospital or health care institution and assigned to consider,
debate, study, take action on, or report on ethical issues that arise in patient care” (Barker, 2020).
While the ethics committee has a wide range of services offered the main focus of an ethics
committee is to help decide what the patient would truly want if they could speak for themselves.
The ethics committee helps interpret policies related to advanced directives. They also assist with
conflict resolution when a surrogate decision maker and the healthcare team do not agree on
what’s best for the patient. They also educate patients, families and healthcare workers about the
importance of having an advanced directive. Cultural and religious beliefs can greatly impact a
patient, healthcare workers and family members’ decisions regarding healthcare and the decision
to have an advanced directive or not. End-of-life care may be affected by religious beliefs due to
some religions believing a person should not be given life saving measures. A surrogate decision
maker may also put their own cultural or religious beliefs into the decision made for the patient
causing confusion on what is best for the patient. Some cultures and religions also place distrust
in healthcare workers and the healthcare system making it harder to render care for the patient.
It’s important that all healthcare workers are aware of each patient cultural and religious beliefs
and how it may affect the care given. This subject should always be approached and spoken
about in a sensitive understanding manner with the patient and the patient’s family. Barker, E.
(2020).
The role of hospital ethics committees in emergency medicine practice. Retrieved from
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7493501/
Healthcare acquired conditions are conditions that patients develop while in a healthcare setting
from care they have received. While the goal is for no patient to acquire a condition or infection
from care it occurs often. One source states “in the United States, about 1 in 31 hospitalized
patients have at least one healthcare-associated infection and they are a significant cause of
death” (CDC, 2024). These events of healthcare acquired conditions should not occur and are a
significant safety concern for patients. Healthcare organizations implement many strategies to
prevent health care related conditions. One of the strategies includes implementation of clinical
guidelines and protocols to standardize care and prevent new conditions from occurring. The
guidelines created are based on evidence-based practices and updated regularly. Staff training
and education are also done regularly so staff members understand the risk factors associated
with the healthcare acquired conditions and the steps to take to prevent them. Checklists are also
used to provide a reminder of what can be done to prevent new condition onset. Regular audits
are also done to monitor the number of healthcare acquired conditions and the effectiveness of
the prevention strategies being implemented. When these strategies are put into use in an
effective manner, they can reduce the amount of healthcare acquired conditions in the healthcare
environment.
care for patients. One source describes the ethics committee as “hospital ethics committees are “a
body of persons established by a hospital or health care institution and assigned to consider,
debate, study, take action on, or report on ethical issues that arise in patient care” (Barker, 2020).
While the ethics committee has a wide range of services offered the main focus of an ethics
committee is to help decide what the patient would truly want if they could speak for themselves.
The ethics committee helps interpret policies related to advanced directives. They also assist with
conflict resolution when a surrogate decision maker and the healthcare team do not agree on
what’s best for the patient. They also educate patients, families and healthcare workers about the
importance of having an advanced directive. Cultural and religious beliefs can greatly impact a
patient, healthcare workers and family members’ decisions regarding healthcare and the decision
to have an advanced directive or not. End-of-life care may be affected by religious beliefs due to
some religions believing a person should not be given life saving measures. A surrogate decision
maker may also put their own cultural or religious beliefs into the decision made for the patient
causing confusion on what is best for the patient. Some cultures and religions also place distrust
in healthcare workers and the healthcare system making it harder to render care for the patient.
It’s important that all healthcare workers are aware of each patient cultural and religious beliefs
and how it may affect the care given. This subject should always be approached and spoken
about in a sensitive understanding manner with the patient and the patient’s family. Barker, E.
(2020).
The role of hospital ethics committees in emergency medicine practice. Retrieved from
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7493501/
Healthcare acquired conditions are conditions that patients develop while in a healthcare setting
from care they have received. While the goal is for no patient to acquire a condition or infection
from care it occurs often. One source states “in the United States, about 1 in 31 hospitalized
patients have at least one healthcare-associated infection and they are a significant cause of
death” (CDC, 2024). These events of healthcare acquired conditions should not occur and are a
significant safety concern for patients. Healthcare organizations implement many strategies to
prevent health care related conditions. One of the strategies includes implementation of clinical
guidelines and protocols to standardize care and prevent new conditions from occurring. The
guidelines created are based on evidence-based practices and updated regularly. Staff training
and education are also done regularly so staff members understand the risk factors associated
with the healthcare acquired conditions and the steps to take to prevent them. Checklists are also
used to provide a reminder of what can be done to prevent new condition onset. Regular audits
are also done to monitor the number of healthcare acquired conditions and the effectiveness of
the prevention strategies being implemented. When these strategies are put into use in an
effective manner, they can reduce the amount of healthcare acquired conditions in the healthcare
environment.
