Values and decision-making in acute medicine

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Values and decision-making in acute medicine

• IRAS ID

  215479

• Contact name

  Luke Martin

• Contact email

  l.p.j.martin@newcastle.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  ‘What is the role of values in decision-making in acute medicine?’

  The researcher (LM) will analyse qualitative data gathered from the observation and interviewing of staff, patients, and relatives. Data for this research will be produced within Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (hereafter referred to as ‘Northumbria Trust’) and primarily at the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH) in 5 overlapping phases.

  1. Literature review
  An extensive review of literature relating to decision-making in Acute Medicine, value judgments in medicine, and the philosophical underpinnings of Values-Based Practice (VBP). This will require searching across a broad range of databases, to include medical, nursing, bioethical, philosophical and sociological journals.

  2. General observation
  LM immerses himself in two acute medical wards over a maximal total duration of 12 months. During this time, he observes the environment, language and behaviour of clinical staff, patients and others on the ward in ways which may be relevant to value judgments and decision-making.

  3. Individual observation and semi-structured interviews
  LM observes and interviews participants from staff, patients and relatives. Individual observation differs from general observation in being more specific to one person’s experience and perspective, and more intrusive than general observation.

  4. Data analysis
  LM analyses data gathered from observation and interviews. This may prompt additional literature review (phase 1), and occurs concurrently with phases 2, 3 and 5

  5. Philosophical reflection
  LM analyses philosophical assumptions and implications of conclusions drawn from the empirical data. In addition, LM will appraise philosophical assumptions and implications of relevant literature, such as literature relating to VBP. This occurs concurrently with phases 1 to 4.

• REC name

  North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  17/NE/0106

• Date of REC Opinion

  19 May 2017

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion