When patients’ priorities conflict with those of their medical team; a challenging case of a bleeding patient and his dying pet

Abstract

We present an unusual case of an acutely unwell patient with an upper gastrointestinal bleed whose resuscitation efforts were delayed by the discovery of his, similarly, acutely unwell pet on the medical high dependency unit. We highlight the challenges this provided the clinical team and focus on the issues relating to patient safety, consent and multidisciplinary action which may be more relevant to daily clinical practice.

A qualitative content analysis of an online forum for people with kidney disease: Exploring the role of companion and non‐companion animals

“…Comments on the forum regarding refusal to give up animals for treatment indicate how important and impactful these relationships can be for people. The opportunity for health professionals to work towards ways in which to accommodate patients' needs and wishes, demonstrating respect for human-animal bonds to benefit care, is an area that requires discussion and research (Shenouda & Clayton, 2021) not only at an individual level, but at hospital and policy levels as well.…”