Defense Date

3-13-2018

Graduation Date

Spring 5-11-2018

Availability

One-year Embargo

Submission Type

dissertation

Degree Name

PhD

Department

Health Care Ethics

School

McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts

Committee Chair

Gerard Magill

Committee Member

Henk ten Have

Committee Member

Joris Gielen

Keywords

Health Care Ethics, Communication Framework, Pediatric Critical Care, Communicating Prognosis in Pediatric Critical Care, Ethics of Care, Veracity for Surroagte Consent, Establishing Rapport

Abstract

The focus of this dissertation is to create an ethical framework for communication of prognosis in the pediatric critical care setting. This dissertation argues that an ethical framework for communication of prognosis in the pediatric critical care setting is necessary because ethical communication transactions lead to better care for pediatric patients in critical care by enabling surrogate decision makers to make well-informed decisions. Moreover, a lack of effective communication skills can be detrimental to the patient. The need for such a framework is revealed by research indicating that physicians often lack the necessary education and skills for effective communication transactions to transpire.

This dissertation merges communication theory and bioethics to create a practical and ethical framework for communication of prognosis in the pediatric critical care setting. The first chapter provides an introduction. Chapter two addresses communication theory for pediatric medicine. The third chapter introduces the notion of establishing rapport with the ethics of care. Chapter four uncovers how physicians can manage uncertainty in veracity for surrogate consent. The fifth chapter describes the importance of maintaining the physician-family relationship. Chapter six pulls together the literature from the previous chapters to create an ethical framework for communication of prognosis in pediatric critical medicine. Concluding remarks are noted in chapter seven. This dissertation reveals that an ethical framework for communication of prognosis in pediatric critical care medicine is not only necessary, but attainable and can be easily integrated into every day care.

Language

English

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