Session: Ethical Issues in Infection Prevention (21st Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (April 1-4, 2011))

Saturday, April 2, 2011: 4:30 PM-6:00 PM

Cortez Ballroom (Hilton Anatole)

CME Credits: 1.50

Type: Symposia

Summary: Many infection prevention decisions require balancing competing moral values and they have important ethical aspects. This session will review important ethical issues involved in several infection prevention approaches, including monitoring of healthcare worker behavior, and managing the infected healthcare worker. Presenters will identify key questions and biggest potential strategies for navigating ethical challenges in the context of quality improvement and patient safety.

Learning Objectives:

Resolve ethical problems arising related to quality improvement initiatives
Identify ethical issues related to monitoring of healthcare worker behavior, location, or compliance with patient safety programs
Assess methods for balancing competing values when managing the infected healthcare worker

Moderators:

Daniel Diekema, MD and Kathryn B. Kirkland, MD

4:30 PM

330

Benefits and Pitfalls of Quality Improvement Initiatives: An Overview
Rachel Werner, MD, PhD, University of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Veteran Affairs Medical Center

5:00 PM

331

The Hospital Epidemiologist as Big Brother: Ethical Aspects of Monitoring HCWs
Lauris Kaldjian, MD, PhD, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine

5:30 PM

332

HCW vs. Patient: Managing the Infected Healthcare Worker
G. Kevin Donovan, MD, MA, Oklahoma University College of Medicine

44 Ethical Issues in Infection Prevention