Ethical deliberation: a foundation for evidence-based practice.

Infusing evidence-based practice (EBP) into the clinical setting implies that professionals use evidence that is relevant and credible, maintain their pursuit of best current knowledge, respect their clients' preferences and values, and keep these clients and their families appropriately informed about their treatment options. Thus, rational and judicious EBP must be guided by speech-language pathologists' or audiologists' ethical principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and autonomy. In this article, we will affirm the centrality of ethical reasoning in EBP by describing what it means to be a professional as reflected in our Code of Ethics, reviewing the principles of ethics that underlie clinical decision making, and demonstrating how an ethical framework can and should provide the context in which EBP is conducted.

Identification and evaluation of thyroid nodules.

Thyroid nodules are common, occurring in about 5% to 10% of people during their lifetimes. Primary care providers are often the first to recognize the nodules and to begin evaluation to rule out malignancy or other underlying disorder. Most nodules are benign, therefore the chance of diagnosing cancer is low but appreciable.