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John McPhee

Publications and source records attributed to John McPhee.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Cancer patients' attitudes toward euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide: the influence of question wording and patients' own definitions on responses.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to: (1) investigate patients' views on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS), and (2) examine the impact of question wording and patients' own definitions on their responses. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey of consecutive patients with cancer. SETTING: Newcastle (Australia) Mater Hospital Outpatients Clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Patients over 18 years of age, attending the clinic for follow-up consultation or treatment by a medical oncologist, radiation oncologist or haematologist. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Face-to-face patient interviews were conducted examining attitudes to euthanasia and PAS. RESULTS: 236 patients with cancer (24% participation rate; 87% consent rate) were interviewed. Though the majority of participants supported the idea of euthanasia, patient views varied significantly according to question wording and their own understanding of the definition of euthanasia. CONCLUSIONS: Researchers need to be circumspect about framing and interpreting questions about support of 'euthanasia', as the term can mean different things to different people, and response may depend upon the specifics of the question asked.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Acute clinical ethics consultation: the practicalities.

In Australia there has been only limited experience with ethics consultation, and there are no reports of practical details. In 1999, the Institutional Clinical Ethics Committee at John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, initiated an Acute Clinical Ethics Service (ACES) to formalise a perceived need within the hospital for ethics consultation. This need had previously been met by ad-hoc councils of "wise men". The ACES approach uses a team of people with different perspectives to provide an ethics consultation in a timely manner. Our initial experience of ACES has shown that a formal process of ethics consultation may be preferable to informal approaches in many circumstances; even when genuine consensus is not possible, an ethics consultation nevertheless provides an opportunity to share different points of view and helps to avoid practices that may be unacceptable. The specific implications of acute ethics consultations are not yet fully elucidated.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed2002

The challenge of cultural and ethical pluralism to medical practice.

* "Culture" can be understood as the way in which people make sense of the world by deploying shared meanings, attitudes, assumptions and values. * Doctors will frequently encounter patients whose lives are guided by ethical systems and values that are different from their own. * Individuals may differ in their beliefs about decision-making, regardless of their cultural background. * Doctors should be willing to examine and test their own moral systems and cultural assumptions and be open to alternative traditions and beliefs. * Engaging with other cultures does not imply that all cultural norms should be accepted uncritically, as there may not always be room for compromise. * Failure to engage with issues of culture can erode the trust on which the doctor-patient relationship depends. * Tensions can only be resolved through rigorous attention to a person's story.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Interprofessionalism and ethics: consensus or clash of cultures?

The ethical arguments which underpin the call for interdisciplinary collaboration are analysed. In particular, the concept of 'teamwork' is considered as well as the organisational, professional, personal and cultural obstacles that constitute the barriers to the effective development of interdisciplinary relationships.

Australia↗