title: Recruiting palliative patients for a large qualitative study: some ethical considerations and staff dilemmas.
abstract: This article reports on the processes of staff members in referring patients to a study that explored the experience of palliative patients, family members, and health professionals with the implementation of a family meeting model as an instrument of spiritual care. The reported qualitative study was undertaken in two large metropolitan Australian hospitals. Criteria other than those set by the study protocol were employed by staff members referring patients. These included subjective opinions of who was suitable to refer and perceptions of patients' attitudes to religion or spirituality. Such practices raise ethical issues and may compromise studies that have received ethics approval.
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health and Clinical Practice, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Olver
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barton
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000941:ethics*; D016265:Conflict of Interest; D032984:Ethics, Research; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000941:ethics*; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000941:ethics; D018579:Patient Selection / Q000941:ethics*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012067:Religion; D029181:Spirituality