A moral vision for the presidential election

The essay celebrates the “Mirror of Princes” writing of political philosophy that appeared in Augustine's City of God, the history of Western political philosophy and in the political thought of ancient China. It upholds the tradition of the good ruler while noting the ambiguities of morality in politics. It notes the political power of the American president in the current global context. While emphasizing the need for the good ruler to love the people he serves it focuses on the need for reform in health care, education, and race relations.     

Self-guided behavioral skills training: A public health approach to promoting nurturing care environments

The World Health Organization identified the promotion of “Nurturing Care Environments” as a global health priority. Responsive caregiving, 1 of 5 domains describing nurturing care, is critical for healthy child development. Relatively little research has evaluated population-level interventions aimed to increase responsive caregiving during the first 1,000 days of an infant's life. In this pilot study, we evaluated an intervention designed for population-level dissemination that targeted responsive caregiving. The self-guided behavioral skills training aimed to teach mothers to imitate infant vocalizations. The intervention was delivered within an on-line asynchronous training. All 3 mothers increased vocal imitative behavior following training without receiving coaching or behavior-specific feedback from an implementer. The results offer a preliminary proof of concept with implications for population-level intervention design and evaluation.     

Living in the mo(ve)ment: An ethnographic exploration of hospice patients’ experiences of participating in Tai Chi

PurposeTai Chi is increasingly being used as a complimentary therapy in hospice care to help patients self-manage multiple and complex health needs. However, currently there is limited understanding of Tai Chi from patients’ perspective, including what participation in this mindfulness based movement (MBM) exercise means to their experiences of living with an advanced, incurable disease. The purpose of this study was to explore outpatients’ lived experiences of hospice-based Tai Chi in relation to mindfulness.Methods19 participants (15 females; 4 males, aged between 50 and 91 years old) with a range of advanced, incurable diseases (cancer, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary arterial hypertension) who attended day therapy at a local hospice took part in Tai Chi sessions. Using a focused ethnographic approach, multi-methods including 17 semi-structured interviews (averaging 40 min), participant observations (equating to 200 h spent in the day therapy unit), and informal conversations were used to collect data over a 6 month period. Data was analysed using a thematic framework approach.ResultsFour main themes were constructed that demonstrated participants’ lived experiences of mindfulness during participation in hospice-based Tai Chi sessions. Main themes included: (1) mind-body respite; (2) being present with others; (3) tranquil and therapeutic atmosphere and; (4) physical limitations.ConclusionTai Chi may be an important therapeutic strategy for helping patients with advanced, incurable disease experience mindfulness. The findings of this study support the use of MBM exercises such as Tai Chi as a non-pharmacological adjunct to conventional treatments within palliative care settings.     

伦理即服务之可能性——以护理机器人的伦理设计为例

基于“平台即服务”框架的“伦理即服务”(ethics as a service, EaaS)概念旨在解决抽象道德准则与人工智能实践间的转化鸿沟。当前护理机器人的伦理设计存在伦理服务者定位模糊、伦理设计简单化、伦理设计智能化误区与伦理场景单一化困境等不足。将EaaS框架运用到当前护理机器人的伦理设计活动中,有助于构建多方协调的伦理服务体系,实现多抽象层次的伦理设计审查,构建模块化的伦理情境,开展自发性的伦理定制服务。服务化和过程化的EaaS伦理设计,有助于实现伦理原则与具体应用之间的协调与统一,但也会对服务过程中的责任划分与隐私保提出更高要求。

     

体验式教学在ICU护士人文执业能力培养中的应用

按照护士人文执业能力概念架构,将护士人文执业能力培养分解为心理调适能力、自我管理能力、人际沟通能力、人文关怀实践能力、伦理与法律实践能力5个核心概念,并将其融入在体验式教学课程中,应用于ICU护士人文执业能力的培训中。通过引导式思考、情境体验、实践反思、质量评价等方式,开展相关培训。对比试验组和对照组的结果,发现体验式教学法能为ICU护士提供对人文执业能力理解的思路与方法,进而提升护士人文执业能力。

     

ICU治疗实践的伦理问题辨析

从重症加强护理病房(intensive care unit, ICU)医生角度出发,通过工作中所接触的典型案例,提出患者入住ICU三个不同时间所产生的伦理问题,包括：患者入住ICU前,不同患者实际情况与ICU收治标准不符,作为ICU医生应在尊重患者自主意愿前提下,最大限度地完成治疗;患者于ICU治疗期间,ICU综合征及ICU后综合征产生原因及解决方案,家属代表患者做医疗决定时面临的两难抉择,ICU医生应该做好医患沟通工作,从多角度实施人文关怀;ICU治疗终末期患者生命尊严和短暂生存之间的选择,ICU医生应建议家属接受缓和医疗并介绍器官捐献参与过程中伦理原则。

     

中国台湾地区安宁疗护的历史变迁、挑战与展望

在人口老龄化的背景下,为尽快改善终末期患者的死亡质量,探求符合东方文化诉求的安宁疗护发展道路,从历史角度对中国台湾地区安宁疗护的发展历程进行梳理。依托相关规定和制度,中国台湾地区安宁疗护取得快速发展,在不同发展阶段依次完成了解决初期困难,完善服务内容,提高服务质量的发展目标。同时,安宁疗护发展目标的实现需要基金会、安宁疗护社团与各界热心人士的精诚合作和不懈努力。中国台湾地区安宁疗护未来的发展仍然面临挑战,质量把控、服务转型、体系融合将是其发展的方向。

     

安宁疗护实践中伦理困境的探讨

在对临终患者的照护中,医务人员常会面对较多的伦理困惑。对安宁疗护实践的四个方面及其存在的伦理困境和对策进行了探讨,包括预立医疗照护计划、心肺复苏术的使用、营养支持治疗及尊严死。要减少伦理冲突的发生,除了政府需健全相关法律法规及推进预立医疗照护计划外,医务人员应具有伦理敏感性,能把安宁疗护实践中的伦理问题与患者和家属进行深入的讨论。医务人员应了解和尊重患者的需要、偏好和价值观,使患者和家属深入了解生命维持治疗的利弊,同时,鼓励家属多从对患者有益的角度做出医疗决策。

     

由临床病例引发对患者医疗自主权的思考

从医务人员视角结合临床病例浅谈患者医疗自主权。阐述患者医疗自主权的概念及涵盖的内容,包括知情同意原则、意定监护、生前预嘱、预立医疗指示、预立医疗照护计划。分析患者医疗自主权在我国实施所存在的阻力,包括受传统孝道束缚、国民对患者医疗自主权的维护意识不强和认知不足、缺乏死亡教育以及医学技术层面等问题。为了有效推广和实施患者医疗自主权,作为医务人员首先要提高自身意识、加强推广力度,其次对于公众要加强死亡教育,另外医患之间、患者与家属之间的交流沟通也非常重要。

     

过度医疗、适度医疗与诊疗最优化

过度医疗与过度服务有所不同。适度医疗应当是为患有某种疾病的病人提供有效、安全、便捷、耗费少的医疗服务。最优化的医疗是一种包括以优质的医疗服务实现了最佳疗效、最安全、痛苦最少、最便捷和费用低的医疗。一般地说,最优化的医疗首先应当是适度的医疗。最优化的医疗比适度医疗有更高的要求。不宜用优质医疗取代适度医疗,也不宜将适度医疗改称为最优化医疗。我们可以将适度医疗作为保健服务的基本要求,而将最优化医疗作为努力目标,一种理想化的目标。在满足人民的基本医疗、实行基本医疗保险过程中,我们更应当提倡适度医疗。