Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Manual of Geriatric Anesthesia pp 15–30Cite as

Ethical and Legal Considerations

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 1485 Accesses

Abstract

Ethics are the standards that societies, organizations, and professions establish to define expectations for behavior among members of that group. They broadly define right from wrong and create expectations of appropriate behavior. Laws, regulations, and policies are used to more clearly define ethical behavior and to impose sanctions for wrongful actions. This chapter will describe established ethical and legal principles that anesthetists should consider when acting appropriately and professionally within their practice. Because laws, regulations, and policies differ among states and within institutions, anesthetists must familiarize themselves with the proper policies where they practice.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Suggested Reading

  • American Medical Association. Code of Medical Ethics Current Opinions with Annotations, Chicago: American Medical Association. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics.pageandwww.ASAhq.org.

  • American Society of Anesthesiologists: Perioperative DNR Orders to Limit Resuscitation. Syllabus on Ethics, American Society of Anesthesiologists. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics.pageandhttp://www.ASAhq.org.

  • Annas GJ, Densberger, JE. Competence to refuse medical treatment: Autonomy versus Paternalism, 15 Toledo L. Rev. 1984; 561 at 568.

    Google Scholar 

  • Appelbaum P, Grisso T. Assessing Patients’ Capacities to Consent to Treatment. N Engl J Med. 1988; 319:1635–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chow G, Czarny M, et al. CURVES: A Mnemonic for Determining Medical Decision-Making Capacity and Providing Emergency Treatment in the Acute Setting. CHEST. 2010; 137:421–427.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gorman WF. Testamentary Capacity in Alzheimer’s Disease. 4 Elder L. Rev. 1996; 225.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grisso T, Applebaum PS. Assessing Competence to Consent to Treatment, A Guide for Physicians and Other Health Professionals. New York: Oxford University Press. 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoehner P. Ethical Management of the Elderly Patient. Chapter 4. Geriatric Anesthesiology. 2nd Edition. 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kapp MB, Mossman D. Measuring Decisional Capacity: Cautions on the Construction of a “Capacitometer.” 2 Psych. Pub. Pol. and L. 1996; 73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Norman GV. Do-not-resuscitate Orders During Anesthesia and Urgent Procedures. Ethics in Medicine. Seattle Washington: University of Washington School of Medicine 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pollock, SG. Life and Death Decisions: Who Makes Them and by What Standards? 47 Rutgers L. Rev. 1989; 505.

    Google Scholar 

  • Post LF, Blustein J, Dubler NN. 1999. The doctor-proxy relationship: An untapped resource Journal ofLaw, Medicine & Ethics 27(1):5–12. Prendergast TJ. 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon J. Refusal of Care: The Physician-Patient Relationship and Decisionmaking Capacity. Ann Emerg Medicine. 2007; 50:456–461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shalowitz DI, Garrett-Mayer E, Wendler D. The Accuracy of Surrogate Decision Makers, Arch Intern Med. 2006; 166:493–497.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Relevant Statutes and Case Law

  • Patient Self-Determination Act, 42 USCA §1395cc(f), 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  • Health Care Decisions Act; Section 5, Subtitle 6, Maryland Annotated Code; Health General

    Google Scholar 

  • Faya v. Almaraz, 329 Md. 435; 620 A.2d 327 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohr v. Williams, 95 Minn. 261, 104 N.W. 12 (Minn. 1905).

    Google Scholar 

  • McQuitty v. Spangler, et al., 410 Md. 1; 976 A.2d 1020 (2009).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, A5W-588, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 4940 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA

    Kevin B. Gerold DO, JD, FCCM, FCCP

  2. Legal Department, Johns Hopkins Health System Corporation, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, 4940 Eastern Avenue, ASC Building, Room 247, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA

    Adrienne N. Dixon JD, MS, PA-C

Authors
  1. Kevin B. Gerold DO, JD, FCCM, FCCP
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Adrienne N. Dixon JD, MS, PA-C
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kevin B. Gerold DO, JD, FCCM, FCCP .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, 02215, Massachusetts, USA

    Sheila Ryan Barnett

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Gerold, K.B., Dixon, A.N. (2013). Ethical and Legal Considerations. In: Barnett, S. (eds) Manual of Geriatric Anesthesia. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3888-5_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3888-5_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-3887-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-3888-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation