Critical care nursing quarterly
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A donor's or family's religious beliefs are to be ascertained in discussions about organ donation. The positions of the major faith groups about donation are reviewed, leading to the conclusion that the large majority of faiths take a positive stance toward donation. Other factors such as the emotional response, the cultural values, and the spiritual issues may be even more compelling for family members than religious beliefs. Conflicts between one's personal beliefs and the position of one's faith group about donation are to be assessed and processed.
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Critical care nurses face ethical issues every day in relation to end-of-life decisions. This article presents a case study involving the administration of a neuromuscular blocking agent prior to removing a patient from the respirator. ⋯ The article discusses ethical principles in relation to end-of-life decisions from the nurse, physician, and family's perspective. Whatever the belief, critical care nurses must consider the belief's of the patient and family while trying to maintain their own convictions.
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"Slow" codes are not conducted frequently, but even their limited use is controversial from an ethical point of view. Physicians and nurses may view the rationale for a "slow" code differently. A critical care nurse and a physician were interviewed regarding their experiences with and their views about "slow" codes.