Gaining and Maintaining Consent

Ethical Concerns Raised in a Study of Dying Patients

Dados Bibliográficos

ID5454671
AutoresJulia Lawton (0000-0002-8016-7374, Newnham College, University of Cambridge, autor correspondente)
Ano2001
Volume11
Fascículo5
Páginas693-705
Data de publicação2001-09-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoQualitative Health Research (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1049-7323 • E-ISSN: 1552-7557
EditoraSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/104973201129119389
PMID11554196
OpenAlexW2116188822
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas22
Referências citadas31

This article provides a frank discussion of the practical and ethical issues that emerged during the process of setting up and conducting a participant observation study within an inpatient hospice. A general overview of the participant observation approach is used to prefigure a discussion of its strengths and weaknesses when employed as a research and evaluation tool among palliative care populations. Although participant observation provided a flexible and viable means of collecting data in the hospice, it also created a number of dilemmas that in many cases could not be satisfactorily resolved. Difficulties arose, in particular, with obtaining informed consent from patients and assuming that consent remained valid after patients had deteriorated physically and mentally. Further complications stemmed from the role conflict and ambiguity inherent within an approach that requires a researcher to work simultaneously as a participant and as an observer

Alternative medicine · Ambiguity · Informed consent · Mental health · Mentally ill · Palliative care · Participant observation · Psychotherapist · Qualitative research · Sociology · Strengths and weaknesses · Computer Science · Ethics in medical practice · Medicine · Nursing · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues · Patient Dignity and Privacy · Psychology · Social Psychology