Turkish nurses' decision making in the distribution of intensive care beds.

Turkish nurses' decision making in the distribution of intensive care beds.

Ersoy, Nermin
Akpinar, Aslihan

2010/01/00

English

20100100

The aim of this study was to assess the opinions and role of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses regarding the distribution of ICU beds. We conducted this research among 30% of the attendees at two ICU congresses in Turkey. A self-administered questionnaire was used, which included 13 cases and allocation criteria. Of the total (136 nurses), 53.7% participated in admission/discharge decisions. The most important criterion was quality of life as viewed by the physician

the least important was the patient's social status. According to the findings, the nurses thought that medical benefit and avoiding discrimination were important. On the other hand their ignorance of patients' autonomous preferences arouses suspicions about these nurses' role in advocating for patients' rights. For this reason, nurses' role in allocation decisions should be clearly described and should also be the basis on which intensive care nurses' duties in allocation decisions should be determined.

9.4

9.4;4.1.3; 9.4

attitude of health personnel--[pri];decision making--[pri];intensive care units--[pri];nurses--[pri];patient admission--[pri];patient discharge--[pri];resource allocation--[pri];selection for treatment--[pri]

futility;justice;nursing ethics;patient advocacy;physicians;quality of life;questionnaires;social worth;socioeconomic factors;survey;treatment outcome;values

Turkey--[pri]

Nursing Ethics 2010 January;17(1): 87-98

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ja

journal

em

36 refs.

1477-0989