Potentialities and Limits of the Clinical Ethics Committee and Nurse Participation: Reflections

Abstract

Objective: to reflect on the importance of the participation of nurses in the Clinical Ethics Committee in Brazil and the knowledge required for this performance. Method: reflection based on experience of a postdoctoral internship carried out within the Department of Preventive Medicine, Public Health and History of Science of the School of Medicine of Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain. Results: the Clinical Ethics Committee contributes to the improvement of health care provided by professionals and health institutions. The nurses are key participants, not only because they are professionals involved in the clinical practice, committed to the decision-making and the patient's performance, but also because they vision is necessary and irreplaceable in an environment of deliberation in which different perspectives and approximations for prudent resolution of ethical conflicts. Conclusion: if the nurses want to assume a strategic position, positively influencing the quality of care provided, protecting interests and ensuring the well-being of the users, they should assume as an urgent basis the need to develop the skills required to deal with ethical problems in the day-to-day of their care practice, accepting the responsibility to participate in the Clinical Ethics Committees, promoting their creation and inserting themselves into their activities.

Linking Worker Safety to Patient Safety: Recommendations and Bioethical Issues for the Care of Patients in the Covid-19 Pandemic

“…It is essential that employers take steps to provide appropriate support because frontline healthcare workers are already overstretched and the ability of the health system to respond to the pandemic will be dependent upon their well-being 28 . These ethical issues can be the cause of serious moral distress among workers.…”

Ethical dilemmas experienced by nurses while caring for patients during the COVID‐19 pandemic: An integrative review of qualitative studies

“…Thus, nurse managers need to understand the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on frontline nurses and support them by providing training and promoting a safe environment for staff and patients (Tan et al, 2020 ; Yildirim et al, 2021 ). Also, ethics consultants can help nurses to develop the necessary skills to deal with ethical dilemmas (Bampi & Grande, 2020 ) arising from the COVID‐19 pandemic.…”

Analysis and Reflections on the Current Situation of the Health Care Ethics Committees (HCECs)

“…In the 1990s, Circular 3/1995 was issued for the creation and accreditation of CEAs in DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.112339 the INSALUD system (National Health Institute). Initially, the CEAs were voluntary, but they are now mandatory [9].…”

“…In Colombia, progress has been significant. Although there is little legislation on CEAs, Resolution 13,437 of 1991, by which CEAs are constituted, is known; Decree 1757 of 1994, which expanded the functions of CEAs by assigning them administrative and quality control roles in the provision of health services, which elevated the committees to the category of guaranteeing social participation in the activities that are developed within the institutions of the social security health system [9,10].…”