Biomaterial Database

An ethical dilemma in the neonatal intensive care unit: providing due care. 1993

M B Gehl, and J A Erlen

Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pa. 15261.

We have discussed the ethical principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, fidelity, and justice as they relate to a case involving what to do when there are too many sick neonates in an NICU. The use of ethical principles clarified the issues surrounding the shift in power and the decision making. This clarification led to the various short-term and long-term strategies that were designed to resolve the ethical dilemma. In addition, analysis of this case demonstrates that issues related to justice frequently involve the making or the questioning of policy so that all can be treated in a fair way. Providing for individuals in a fair manner reduces the potential for harm. Focusing on ethical principles may serve to deemphasize and diffuse the control and territorial issues that may arise in similar cases. This refocusing will then enable all parties to address their common concern--how to provide due care to sick neonates and their families.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007363	Intensive Care Units, Neonatal	Hospital units providing continuing surveillance and care to acutely ill newborn infants.	Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,Neonatal Intensive Care Units,Newborn Intensive Care Unit,Newborn Intensive Care Units,ICU, Neonatal,Neonatal ICU,Newborn ICU,Newborn Intensive Care Units (NICU),ICU, Newborn,ICUs, Neonatal,ICUs, Newborn,Neonatal ICUs,Newborn ICUs
D004992	Ethics, Medical	The principles of professional conduct concerning the rights and duties of the physician, relations with patients and fellow practitioners, as well as actions of the physician in patient care and interpersonal relations with patient families.	Medical Ethics
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D015931	Intensive Care, Neonatal	Continuous care and monitoring of newborn infants with life-threatening conditions, in any setting.	Infant, Newborn, Intensive Care,Neonatal Intensive Care,Care, Neonatal Intensive
D026686	Beneficence	The state or quality of being kind, charitable, or beneficial. (from American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed). The ethical principle of BENEFICENCE requires producing net benefit over harm. (Bioethics Thesaurus)	Benevolence,Nonmaleficence
D026822	Ethicists	Persons trained in philosophical or theological ethics who work in clinical, research, public policy, or other settings where they bring their expertise to bear on the analysis of ethical dilemmas in policies or cases. (Bioethics Thesaurus)	Bioethicists,Bioethics Consultants,Clinical Ethicist,Clinical Ethicists,Ethicist, Clinical,Ethicists, Clinical,Ethics Consultants,Bioethicist,Bioethics Consultant,Consultants, Bioethics,Consultants, Ethics,Ethicist,Ethics Consultant
D028681	Moral Obligations	Duties that are based in ETHICS, rather than in law.	Moral Duties,Duties, Moral,Duty, Moral,Moral Duty,Moral Obligation,Obligation, Moral,Obligations, Moral
D028741	Ethics Committees, Clinical	Hospital or other institutional ethics committees established to consider the ethical dimensions of patient care. Distinguish from ETHICS COMMITTEES, RESEARCH, which are established to monitor the welfare of patients or healthy volunteers participating in research studies.	Clinical Ethics Committee,Clinical Ethics Committees,Committee, Clinical Ethics,Committee, Hospital Ethics,Committees, Clinical Ethics,Committees, Hospital Ethics,Ethics Committee, Clinical,Ethics Committee, Hospital,Ethics Committees, Hospital,Hospital Ethics Committee,Hospital Ethics Committees
D032781	Codes of Ethics	Systematic statements of principles or rules of appropriate professional conduct, usually established by professional societies.	Ethical Codes,Ethical Oaths,Code of Ethics,Codes of Professional Ethics,Ethical Directives,Code, Ethical,Codes, Ethical,Directive, Ethical,Directives, Ethical,Ethical Code,Ethical Directive,Ethical Oath,Ethics Code,Ethics Code, Professional,Ethics Codes,Ethics Codes, Professional,Oath, Ethical,Oaths, Ethical,Professional Ethics Code,Professional Ethics Codes