Ethical Issues in the ICU

ESICM Talk

We are confronted daily with complex ethical issues during the care of our patients in intensive care units. The principles of biomedical ethics may guide us with regard to concerns for ethical decision-making.

Although globalisation brings enormous richness and diversity through multicultural structures, ethical issues may challenge intensivists in these conditions. However, the 'moral stresses' that health professionals experience are almost always ignored.

Speakers:

Dr Burcin Halacli. Internist and intensivist at Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Intensive Care Medicine, Ankara, Turkey and ESICM NEXT Committee member.

Prof Erwin Kompanje. Consultant in Clinical ethics at Erasmus University Medical Center, Department of Intensive Care in Rotterdam (NL), and interestingly he is Honorary curator and senior taxidermist at the Natural History Museum Rotterdam. He has lots of papers, more than 4000 citations about biomedical ethics, clinical ethics and intensive care medicine.