Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Jan 2018
[Organ Donation in Victims of Non-Traumatic Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest].
The out-of-hospital cardiac-arrest (OHCA) is one of the leading causes of death. However, although previous studies showed the possibility to transplant organs from resuscitated donors, organ donation following OHCA remains seldom. We therefore initiated this study to investigate the current percentage of organ donation in victims of OHCA in a german university hospital. ⋯ Organ donation following OHCA is seldom. We therefore would appreciate a more frequent diagnostics of brain death as currently not even all victims of OHCA with proven signs of brain damage in the computed tomography receive further diagnostics to confirm the diagnosis of brain death.
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Jan 2018
[Ethics Consultation on the ICU: The Clinically Oriented Method of Counselling].
When ethical conflicts arise on the ICU, an ethics case consultation is useful. The aim of this consult is a qualified reflection of the moral values, convictions and assumptions involved in the case. The "clinically oriented method of counselling" provides an adequate structure for case consultations on the ICU. ⋯ This method is familiar to hospital staff and will effectively support mutual understanding and agreement among physicians, nursing staff and family members. A consensus, facilitated by ethics consultation, expresses the shared belief, that the therapeutic options in question are both scientifically sound and humane. On the one hand the consensus assures the appropriateness of therapeutic goals and therapeutic means, on the other hand it proves the assessment, that patient wishes and preferences have been considered as conclusive as possible.
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Family-centered care in the ICU is a quality criterion of modern intensive care. Relatives are not just visitors, caregivers and involved stakeholders, but also partners for the medical team, especially when eliciting patient preferences and during shared decisionmaking. The move towards family-centered care signifies that traditional roles are changing; family-centered care is becoming a critical component of optimizing patient outcomes in the ICU.