Ethical issues in Australian hospitals.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the most common ethical issues of concern in Australian hospitals.


METHODS
A descriptive study using data collected by means of a questionnaire.


METHODS
Seven hundred and thirty-nine (74%) hospital administrators and employees nominated by hospital administrators in Australian public and private hospitals.


RESULTS
Over half the respondents reported that ethical concerns had been raised in relation to: making "not for resuscitation orders"; the treatment of patients with HIV and AIDS; interprofessional conflict; and the allocation of resources.


CONCLUSIONS
"End of life" concerns, patient autonomy issues, questions of resource distribution, and communication difficulties commonly raise ethical concerns in Australian hospitals.
McNeill
P M
PM
School of Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington.
Walters
J D
JD
Webster
I W
IW
D001315:Australia; D026688:Bioethical Issues; D003142:Communication; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D004991:Ethics, Institutional; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000628:therapy; D015276:Health Care Rationing; D006740:Hospital Administrators; D016304:Hospitals, Private / Q000592:standards*; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D040841:Resource Allocation; D016414:Resuscitation Orders; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013727:Terminal Care; D028761:Withholding Treatment