title: Ethics of re-hearsing procedures on a corpse.
abstract: You are the attending surgeon of a homeless pedestrian who sustained multiple injuries when struck by a car. He died soon after being brought to the emergency department. It is late in the evening. A first-year resident and a medical student have been helping with the failed attempt at resuscitation. The emergency department is empty, except for your case. A central line kit lies on the bed, opened but not used. The junior resident asks your permission for herself and the student to practice the technique of subclavian cauterization and tracheal intubation on the fresh cadaver to get a "feel" for the procedures. There is no medical simulation for these procedures at your medical center. The best ethical response is: A. Tell them to go ahead and practice. B. They can only practice intubation because it leaves no external wounds. C. You should supervise them yourself to assure educational benefit. D. They should wait until you get permission from the medical examiner. E. The present case is not appropriate for educational purposes.
authors: Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex., USA. jwjones@bcm.tmc.edu
authors: James W
authors: JW
authors: Jones
authors: Laurence B
authors: LB
authors: McCullough
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002102:Cadaver; D002425:Cautery / Q000941:ethics*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000941:ethics*; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education* / Q000941:ethics*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000941:ethics*; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000941:ethics*; D013348:Subclavian Artery / Q000601:surgery*