Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1993.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1992.

xii, 163 p. / The principle of respect for autonomy has been the center of gravity for the doctor-patient relationship for forty years, replacing the previous defining concept of physician paternalism. In this work, I seek to displace respect for patient autonomy with narrative and phronesis as the skills that must be mastered by the physician to engender a successful therapeutic clinical relationship. Chapter I reviews the current state of affairs in the philosophy of medicine and the doctor-patient relationship and explains how and why autonomy has become so central to physicians' understanding of how to conduct a clinical encounter with a patient. Chapter II argues that "respect for autonomy," while remaining a valid rule to be considered in some clinical relationships, cannot be the central concept that defines the relationship both because it fails to describe accurately human selfhood and also because it empirically lacks universal applicability--many humans, and most seriously ill patients, actually lack autonomy. Shared decision making, an autonomy-based model of the doctor-patient relationship, suffers from this critique of autonomy as well as its own shortcomings in that it maintains a strict fact/value distinction that is untenable. Chapter III introduces narrative philosophy and its extrapolation, narrative medicine, as a possible alternative to an autonomy model of care. I defend a narrative view of selfhood, while recognizing that even if we are in some sense narratively constituted, this still leaves many questions regarding the relationship between story and self, particularly in a clinical encounter. In Chapter IV, I seek to limit the claims of narrative by arguing that story and self can never be fully equated and that narrative must be understood as demonstrating alterity rather than eliminating it. In Chapter V, a new conception of the physician's role in the doctor-patient relationship is presented, combining phronesis, or practical wisdom, with narrative skill in four aspects of the clinical encounter: diagnosis, treatment, assistance in medical decision making, and emotional support of the patient. / Committee in charge: Naomi Zack， Chairperson； Cheyney Ryan， Member； Mark Johnson， Member； Mary Wood， Outside Member

No description available.

Physician assisted suicide (PAS) has been a legalized presence in the United States since Oregon first passed the Death with Dignity Act in 1994. Now PAS is legalized in six states and it is realistic that nurses may encounter PAS during their career. This project explores pre-licensure nursing student attitudes toward PAS. A mixed method design incorporating descriptive correlation and thematic analysis of an open-ended question was used. Surveys were sent to 550 nursing students enrolled in the UCF nursing program asking participants to complete the 34-question survey. This survey included a 12 item “Domino scale” on student nursing opinions toward physician-assisted suicide, and a 23-item demographic scale. Complete, usable results were obtained from 231 participants. Demographic data revealed that the typical participant was between 18 and 25 years of age (80%), female (82%), single (87%), white (69%), in their first two semesters of the nursing program (60%), and unemployed (56%). The total scores for the Domino scale indicated a mean of 40. Regression analyses found that participant experience of someone having asked for help with PAS, and participant religiosity were significant predictors (F = 9.82, p = .0019; and F= 160.36, p < .0001) respectively of nursing student opinions on PAS as measured by the Domino scale. Qualitative analysis produced the following themes related to participant opinion on the nurse’s role in PAS: ways nurses can help with PAS, nurses should not be involved with PAS, clarification and delineation of the PAS process, the preservation of autonomy, the need for more education and inaccurate assumptions of PAS. This study showed that nursing students are moderately in support of PAS and willing to provide care to patients who are terminally ill regardless of a his or her personal decisions regarding PAS. Participants also comment that they desire additional education. Suggestions for further education, practice enhancements, research and policy development are discussed.

Background: Accrual of continuing medical education credits is part of licensure in family medicine but opinions are mixed as to whether the training has an impact on clinical practice. Literature does suggest that practice change is most likely when training involves multiple interactive exposures, and when the benefit to patients is apparent. Aim: To determine whether an interactive peer-lead educational intervention for General Practitioners in British Columbia, the Practice Support Program Mental Health Module, resulted in measureable change in clinical practice of the Vancouver Island participants. Method: Administrative information from British Columbia Ministry of Health databases was obtained for analysis regarding physician billing and prescribing, and hospitalizations on Vancouver Island. Paired t-tests were used to compare physician-patient interactions among module participants before and after the training regarding a) initiation of antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication, and b) use of the mental health plan billing code, used to support patients who struggle with activities of daily living. In addition, mental health hospitalizations among participants' patients before and after training were used to measure its impact on patient outcomes. Results: One-hundred and ninety-seven General Practitioners on Vancouver Island completed the mental health module between 2008 and 2011. While no significant difference was found in the numbers of mental health patients seen during the pre- and post- periods (M=142.06, SD=97.45) and (M=144.44, SD=103.00); t(196)=-0.679, p=0.498, α=.05, the change in the proportion of new prescriptions between pre-period mean (M=0.0796, SD=.06527) and post-period means (M=.0530, SD=.03877); t(195)=6.668, p<0.001 was found to be significant and indicative of a relative decrease between 31.2 and 33.4%. The change in the proportion of mental health plans was also found to be significant between pre-period (M=0.1142, SD=.018598) and post-period means (M=.1674, SD=.23973); t(180)=-3.586, p<0.001. This indicated a relative increase between 42.0 and 46.6%. No significant change in patient hospitalizations was found between the pre- and post-period means: (M=0.039, SD=.0612) and (M=.0392, SD=.0978); t(192)=-0.055, p=0.956. Conclusion: This educational intervention appears to have resulted in significant changes in the practice patterns of the physician participants. Future research using better indicators may reveal more about the impact of physician training on patient outcomes. / Graduate

No description available.

Nurse-Physician Communication Tools to Enhance use of Nursing Evidence-Based Protocols by Tochi Onyenwe Ubani MSN, Walden University, 2011 BSN, Chamberlain College of Nursing, 2009 Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice Walden University February 2015 In the current health care environment, consumers are demanding collaboration among clinicians even when traditional attitudes minimize nurses' input on the direction of clinical care. Compounding this problem is that nursing practices have not always been derived from randomized clinical trials, but instead from personal experiences. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of nurses, physicians, and administrators on clinical protocols, including the use of nurse evidence-based practice (EBP) in practice settings. The study aimed at fostering clinical decisions anchored on shared knowledge, collegiate interactions, and emotions. A survey designed using nurse-physician communication tools was disseminated among a convenience sample of 50 nurses, 12 physicians, and 3 administrators. Content analysis was applied to survey responses. The findings revealed that effective communication between nurses, physicians, and administrators enhanced the use of nursing EBPs; these findings were used to generate the Nurse-Physician Communication Tools (NPCT) as a mechanism to enhance the translation of nursing EBP in clinical setting. The use of NPCT provided a mechanism for practice changes needed to improve clinical collaboration and enhance use of nursing EBPs in patient care.

Recent trends point toward a decline in solo and small business medical practices, yet, the need and demand still exists for this model of health care. The purpose of this case study was to explore effective approaches to help physicians in solo practice and small medical group primary care practitioners (PCPs) retain their small business medical practices. The study included purposive sampling and face-to-face interviews: 11 physicians, predominately primary care practitioners, in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan region, were interviewed until data saturation was reached. A component of systems theory (strategic thinking) and the dynamic capabilities concept were used to frame the study. Audio recordings were transcribed and analyzed to identify themes regarding effective competitive approaches to help small medical group physicians retain their practices. Four major themes emerged: need for flexibility and adaptability, need for higher levels of business acumen, need to fully embrace automation, and a focus on pursuing financial stability before pursuing growth and expansion of the medical practice. Results may benefit society by preserving and strengthening a source of patient-centered, effective, affordable health care for communities served by small business medical practices. Implications for social change include presenting methods to enhance stability and organizational sustainability of small business medical practices.

Gydytojo ir paciento santykiai visais laikais buvo medicinos dėmesio centre. Naujų technologijų taikymas leido gydytojui turėti objektyviais duomenimis pagrįstą paciento sveikatos būklės vaizdą, todėl gydytojas mažiau linkęs gilintis į subjektyvius paciento išgyvenimus. Gydytojų-pacient�� santykių etinių problemų sprendimas neįmanomas be valstybės ekonominių, politinių ir teisinių veiksmų. Darbo tikslas. Įvertinti Prienų PSPC gydytojų ir pacientų santykių etinius aspektus pacientų požiūriu. Tyrimo metodai. 2007m. sausio – vasario mėn. buvo atlikta Prienų PSPC pacientų, kurie apsilankė pas BPG (n=304), anketinė apklausa. Duomenų analizė atlikta naudojant statistinės analizės paketą SPSS (9,0). Dviejų požymių priklausomumas buvo tiriamas naudojant χ² kriterijų. Nulinė hipotezė buvo atmetama, kai p<0,05. Rezultatai. Didžioji vyriausios bei jauniausios amžiaus grupės, turinčių pradinį bei aukštąjį išsimokslinimą bei dideles pajamas pacientų dalis buvo patenkinti gydytojo bendravimu su jais bei palankiai vertina gydytojo ir paciento santykių administravim����, o nepasitenkinimą nurodė vidutinio amžiaus, vidurinio išsimokslinimo, mažas pajamas turintys respondentai. Labiausiai pritaria teisiniams klausimams vyriausios bei jauniausios amžiaus grupės miesto respondentai, turintys dideles pajamas. Nepatenkinti teisiniais santykiais vidutinio vyresniojo amžiaus mažų pajamų kaimo pacientai. Išvados. Pacientai patenkinti juos aptarnaujančio šeimos (BPG) gydytojo bendražmogiškomis... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The relationship between a physician and a patient has always been a centre of medical attention. Application of modern technologies enables a physician to receive a clear picture of a patient’s health rather than become concerned about his/her personal feelings. The solution of physician–patient ethical problems is not possible without state economical, political and legal measures. Aim of the study. To assess the ethical aspects of physician-patient relationship of Prienai Primary Health Care Centre from the patients’ attitude. Methods. In January – February 2007, a survey was conducted in order to receive the opinion from Prienai district residents, who visited a GP (n=304). Statistical analysis package SPSS (9.0) was used to analyse the data. Dependence of two symptoms was researched with of the Chi-Square test (χ²). Zero hypothesis was rejected, when p<0,05. Results. A greater part of elderly and young people who have a higher or primary education and high income were satisfied with physician–patient relationship and gave favourable assessment of the administration of the relationship. Middle-aged people who have secondary education and low income were most dissatisfied with the above mentioned. Most favourable opinion about the legal matters was provided by the oldest and youngest group of the city respondents who have high income, whereas middle-aged senior country people who have low income were dissatisfied with the legal matters. Conclusions. The patients were... [to full text]