Resolving ethical problems in long-term care.
1. End of life ethical decision-making is complex and involves many key players, each with their individual roles, responsibilities, and ethical concepts. 2. Each long-term care ethical decision which presents itself involves alternatives and choices. These must be thoughtfully evaluated to reach the best decision possible. 3. Those involved in ethical decision-making are influenced by various ethical theories as well as factors including control, legal issues, failure, coercion, obligation, advocacy, autonomy, respect, and cost. 4. Ethics committees can play a valuable role in assisting patients, families and staff through the decision-making process by providing guidelines based on ethical principles and compatible with facility mission and philosophy.
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D000368:Aged; D003657:Decision Making; D034462:Dissent and Disputes; D026689:Ethical Analysis; D017041:Ethics Committees; D028741:Ethics Committees, Clinical; D004993:Ethics, Nursing; D005190:Family; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D024802:Nurse's Role; D016414:Resuscitation Orders; D028761:Withholding Treatment