¶ … statistics have on shaping healthcare policy and guiding evidence-based practice, it is critical that researchers understand how to present the results of their studies. It is also critical that healthcare workers develop strong skills in statistical literacy, so that the results of studies are not misconstrued. Not all research results are generalizable to a population outside of the sample. Even the most carefully constructed research designs need to be critically analyzed. Similarly, care must be taken when communicating statistical results to a general audience.
The American Statistical Association (1999) outlines eight main areas of ethical concern. Those areas of concern include the following:
• Professionalism
• Responsibilities to employers or funders
• Responsibilities in testimony or publications
• Responsibilities to research subjects
• Responsibilities to research team colleagues
• Responsibilities to other statisticians
• Responsibilities regarding allegations of misconduct
• Responsibilities of employers or clients to the integrity of research
In the healthcare setting, each of these ethical duties is relevant, but it is the latter that may be most relevant to daily work for practitioners who read, gather, disseminate, discuss, and interpret research findings and often implement those findings into evidence-based practice. It is therefore critical that statisticians be aware of the impact their work has on public health.
Statisticians are supportive of creating the "evidence-based society" and evidence-based organizational culture in healthcare (p. 5). However, statisticians are also in the unique position of having to offer warnings to healthcare practitioners, administrators, and pharmacists eager to deliver new products and services to the patient population. Statisticians deal with uncertainties and probabilities, whereas non-statisticians, even within the medical science arena, seek clear-cut, black-and-white answers.
When it comes to actual research methods and design, the role of statisticians is more immediately apparent. For example, statisticians have an ethical responsibility to honestly and objectively interpret raw data, regardless of the substantive content of a research hypothesis. A statistician with access to participant personal information has an ethical responsibility to preserve and safeguard privacy and confidentiality. The issues all researchers face when conducting experiments including informed consent, remain salient. Ascribing to statistical ethics...
Obtaining Informed ConsentMr. Roberts is a patient that was admitted to the hospital Emergency Department (ED) following traumatic injuries caused by a motorcycle accident. Since admission, Mr. Roberts has undergone three surgical procedures. While the first two surgeries were successful, the third one was unsuccessful despite being performed accurately. As a result, he relapsed into a coma and his long-term girlfriend has appeared and holds the healthcare power of attorney
Consent & Ethics Complications stemming from patient-counselor interactions remain a key source of ethical violations and complaints. Informed consent is a major issue with a direct bearing on the counselor-patient relationship. In clinical avenues, the origin of informed consent continues to have a direct outgrowth of advances in professional ethics, legal precedents, and continuous moral development. Through informed consent, patients have been able to take responsibility and explore options for
Katz introduces in his book, The Silent World of Doctor and Patient the origins of informed consent. "The birth date of informed consent was 22 October 1957" (Katz, 1984, p. 60). In those origins he shares that although informed consent and disclosure were introduced as standard, people have always had problems communicating with each other and therefore it leads to a disconnect when disclosure and consent are applied to medical
Ethical codes and informed consent are part of the modern world of healthcare. Informed consent allows people to understand the risks they take when accepting a procedure. Ethical codes allow organizations like hospitals conduct their business while avoiding potential lawsuits or other risks. Thanks to the use of ethical codes and informed consent, the public is protected from scenarios and circumstances that could potentially jeopardize health and well-being, increasing the
consent a "yes or no" response? Enhancing the shared decision-making process for persons with aphasia Informed consent constitutes a legal and moral requisite for any research works that involve fellow human beings. Study subjects are provided information regarding every element of a study trial deemed to be vital for subjects' decision-making, including study significance with respect to societal welfare and for advancing the medical field. After an examination of every
Consent Regarding Qsen Competencies14 The following paper describes patient safety as being one of the concerns of patient care. It also discusses the QSEN competency related to patient safety. Moreover, the paper describes the significance of patient safety with reference to the QSEN competency. A review of literature and a case example related to the aforementioned topics are also included. Lastly, the paper gives implications related to better patient safety. Patient
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