Limitation of therapeutic effort in Paediatric Intensive Care Units: Bioethical knowledge and attitudes of the medical profession Limitación del esfuerzo terapéutico en cuidados intensivos pediátricos: conocimiento y actitudes bioéticas del profesional mé

Abstract

© 2016 Sociedad Chilena de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier España.Paediatric intensive care is a relatively new specialty, with significant technological advances that lead to the prolongation of the dying process. One of the most common bioethical problems is limitation of treatment, which is the adequacy and/or proportionality treatment, trying to avoid obstinacy and futility. Objective To determine the experience of physicians working in Paediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) when faced with bioethical decisions. Subjects and method An observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted using an anonymous questionnaire sent to physicians working in PICU. The data requested was related to potential ethical problems generated in the care of the critical child, and the procedure for their resolution. The study was approved by the Ethics Research Committee of the Faculty of Medicine UDD CAS. Results A total of 126 completed questionnaires were received from physicians wo