The first nationwide study on facing and solving ethical dilemmas among healthcare professionals in Slovenia

Grosek, Štefan (avtor), Kučan, Rok (avtor), Grošelj, Jon (avtor), Oražem, Miha (avtor), Grošelj, Urh (avtor), Erčulj, Vanja Ida (avtor), Lajovic, Jaro (avtor), Borovečki, Ana (avtor), Ivanc, Blaž (avtor)

Background Healthcare professionals (HCPs), patients and families are often faced with ethical dilemmas. The role of healthcare ethics committees (HECs) is to offer support in these situations. Aim The primary objective was to study how often HCPs encounter ethical dilemmas. The secondary objective was to identify the main types of ethical dilemmas encountered and how HCPs solve them. Subjects and methods We conducted a cross-sectional, survey-based study among HCPs in 14 Slovenian hospitals. A questionnaire was designed and validated by HCPs who were selected by proportional stratified sampling. Data collection took place between April 2015 and April 2016. Results The final sample size was n = 485 (385 or 79.4%, female). The response rates for HCPs working in secondary and tertiary level institutions were 45% and 51%, respectively. Three hundred and forty (70.4%) of 485 HCPs (very) frequently encountered ethical dilemmas. Frequent ethical dilemmas were waiting periods for diagnostics or treatment, suboptimal working conditions due to poor interpersonal relations on the ward, preserving patients’ dignity, and relations between HCPs and patients. Physicians and nurses working in secondary level institutions, compared to their colleagues working in tertiary level institutions, more frequently encountered ethical dilemmas with respect to preserving patients’ dignity, protecting patients’ information, and relations between HCPs and patients. In terms of solutions, all HCPs most frequently discussed ethical dilemmas with co-workers (colleagues), and with the head of the department. According to HCPs, the most important role of HECs is staff education, followed by improving communication, and reviewing difficult ethical cases. Conclusions Waiting periods for diagnostics and treatment and suboptimal working conditions due to poor interpersonal relations are considered to be among the most important ethical issues by HCPs in Slovenian hospitals. The most important role of HECs is staff education, improving communication, and reviewing difficult ethical cases.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: healthcare professionals, ethical dilemmas, healthcare ethics committees, waiting periods for diagnostics, waiting periods for treatment, interpersonal relations, Slovenia
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: ZF - Zdravstvena fakulteta
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2020
• Št. strani: Str. 1-20
• Številčenje: Vol. 15, no. 7
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-117558
• UDK: 614.2:174
• ISSN pri članku: 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235509
• COBISS.SI-ID: 22649091
• Datum objave v RUL: 16.07.2020

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: PloS one
• Založnik: Public Library of Science
• ISSN: 1932-6203
• COBISS.SI-ID: 2005896

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.
• Začetek licenciranja: 16.07.2020