The rose of Sharon: what is the ideal timing for palliative care consultation versus ethics consultation?

Ethics committees and palliative care consultants can function in a complementary fashion, seamlessly and effectively. Ethics committees can "air" and help resolves issues, and palliative care consultants can use a low-key, longitudinal approach.

Credentialing and certification in ethics consultation: lessons from palliative care.

In response to an article by Acres and colleagues, "Credentialing the Clinical Ethics Consultant: An Academic Medical Center Affirms Professionalism and Practice:" the authors urge continued action for the credentialing and certification of clinical ethics consultants. They also promote a vigorous and engaged model for ethics consultation.

Meals at medical specialty society annual meetings: a preliminary assessment.

Little isd known about how meals are chosen for medical meetings. We surveyed the annual meeting planners for 20 major specialty societies. Thirteen (65%) responded; all were currently planning their next meeting.

The Art of Medicine through the Humanities: an overview of a one-month humanities elective for fourth year students.

Background: The purpose of incorporating humanities teaching into medical education is to encourage students to develop into more sensitive and caring doctors who communicate well with their patients and colleagues.

Content: A unique 4th year student elective at the Medical College of Wisconsin incorporates reflective and writing activities. Small group sessions are facilitated by faculty with specific interest and expertise in the humanities.

Pseudoascites in the clinical setting: avoiding unwarranted and futile paracenteses.

Ascites is diagnosed on physical exam by findings of abdominal distension, bulging flanks, shifting dullness and a prominent fluid wave. However, as the following cases demonstrate, these signs may also be positive in pseudoascites due to thick layers of adipose tissue in the abdomen. A history of recent food binging and a lack of a prolonged prothrombin time should raise the index of suspicion for pseudoascites in a patient with a protuberant abdomen.

A survey of competencies and concerns in end-of-life care for physician trainees.

A survey was developed to explore physician trainee competencies and concerns surrounding end-of-life care. Thirty-one medical students, interns, and residents from the Department of Internal Medicine completed the survey in August 1996. The survey instrument found differing levels of competence/concern among medical students, interns, and residents.

Willingness to perform euthanasia. A survey of physician attitudes.

Background: In the United States, few studies have examined important variables in physician attitudes toward the practice of euthanasia, such as the patient's underlying disease, mental capacity, and age, and the physician's specialty and religion. We administered a case-based survey to analyze the impact of such specific variables on physician attitudes toward the practice.

Methods: A four-section survey solicited (1) physician responses to three hypothetical cases in which patients requested euthanasia; (2) physicians' general opinions about euthanasia and how its legalization might affect them personally and professionally; and (3) demographic information.

Clinical practice in the post-consensus society: still an art, slow to change.

Practicing doctors see things differently from bioethicists, argues David L Schiedermayer, in his response to Cameron's essay. Patient autonomy and informed consent figure more importantly in ethical debate than they do in actual practice. Clinicians work with a practical ethic of beneficence that is directly related to diagnosis and treatment.