Abstract
As a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic, paramedics in the UK face unprecedented challenges in the care of acutely unwell patients and their family members. This article will describe and discuss a new ethical dilemma faced by clinicians in the out-of-hospital environment during this time, namely the delivery of bad news to family members who are required to remain at home and self-isolate while the critically unwell patient is transported to hospital. I will discuss some failings of current practice and reflect on some of the ethical and practical challenges confronting paramedics in these circumstances. I conclude by making three recommendations: first, that dedicated pastoral outreach teams ought to be set up during pandemics to assist family members of patients transported to hospital; second, I offer a framework for how bad news can be delivered during a lockdown in a less damaging way; and finally, that a new model of bad news delivery more suited for unplanned, time-pressured care should be developed.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 16-19 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Journal of Medical Ethics |
Volume | 47 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 30 Oct 2020 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2021 |
Keywords
- clinical ethics
- emergency medicine