Synopsis

Shared decision-making is recognised as ethical best practice in making health care decisions for children.  But translating ethical ideals into practice is never straightforward. Shared decision-making can run into practical and ethical complications. There may be situations in which it actually cannot work, or at least, not well enough to provide a solid ethical basis for going forward. Through case discussion we will focus in particular on the issue of how much and what parents need to understand to share in decision-making, and how to respond ethically when concerns arise that they do not understand.  We will invite the audience to contribute their experiences and perspectives to the discussion.

Speakers

Professor Lynn Gillam is a Clinical Ethicist, and has worked in that role at RCH for nearly 20 years. She is the Academic Director of the Children’s Bioethics Centre at RCH, and Professor of Health Ethics in the Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne.

Dr Trisha Prentice is a neonatologist and bioethicist at the Royal Children’s Hospital NICU. As a Clinician Scientist Fellow with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, her research focusses on shared decision-making, moral distress and improving the experiences of families with children receiving neonatal intensive care.