title: Medical ethics in pediatric critical care.
abstract: Ethically charged situations are common in pediatric critical care. Most situations can be managed with minimal controversy within the medical team or between the team and patients/families. Familiarity with institutional resources, such as hospital ethics committees, and national guidelines, such as publications from the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, or Society of Critical Care Medicine, are an essential part of the toolkit of any intensivist. Open discussion with colleagues and within the multidisciplinary team can also ensure that when difficult situations arise, they are addressed in a proactive, evidence-based, and collegial manner.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orioles
authors.forename: Wynne E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Morrison
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003422:Critical Care / Q000941:ethics*; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics; D034462:Dissent and Disputes / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D028741:Ethics Committees, Clinical / Q000639:trends; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D033282:Parental Consent / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D028701:Patient Rights / Q000941:ethics*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000941:ethics*; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011368:Professional-Family Relations / Q000941:ethics; D040841:Resource Allocation / Q000941:ethics; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics*; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000941:ethics; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D014481:United States; D028761:Withholding Treatment / Q000941:ethics