Conscience Rights Affect Quality of Health Care

Did you know that the quality of care provided by doctors and nurses can be negatively impacted when they are forced to violate their moral or professional principles? Over at HLI America I cover a new study that suggests patients will suffer if conscience rights are not respected.

Are there significant consequences when doctors and nurses provide health care that violates their moral or professional principles? The APPROPRICUS study, results of which were reported in the December 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), suggests that the inability of physicians to practice medicine in accord with their personal ethical standards leaves them professionally dissatisfied and clinically less effective. Specifically, the authors conclude:

Among a group of European and Israeli ICU clinicians, perceptions of inappropriate care were frequently reported and were inversely associated with factors indicating good teamwork.

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