This case illustrates how emergency physicians find themselves with an empty toolbox and must compromise to meet their responsibilities to patients and themselves.
When a child or family begins to stand out because of patterns in history or physical findings, physicians must determine whether to take a closer look at the situation.
Physicians new to a case might object to an established care plan. Practice variation, clinical momentum, and how value is assigned by different parties to acute care and comfort measures can each contribute to conflict in these cases.
AMA J Ethics. 2018;20(8):E699-707. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2018.699.
Jennifer T. McIntosh, PhD, RN, CNE, PMH-BC, NEA-BC and Mona Shattell, PhD, RN
This commentary examines prevention policies that overly rely on liberty restrictions imposed by designs of inpatient psychiatric units’ structures and spaces.
AMA J Ethics. 2024;26(3):E199-204. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2024.199.
Therapeutic security in inpatient psychiatric settings requires careful planning and implementation if it is to support both patients’ safety and dignity.
AMA J Ethics. 2024;26(3):E205-211. doi:
10.1001/amajethics.2024.205.