Publication: Diversity and ethics in trauma and acute care surgery teams: results from an international survey
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Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMC
Abstract
Background
Investigating the context of trauma and acute care surgery, the article aims at understanding the factors that can enhance some ethical aspects, namely the importance of patient consent, the perceptiveness of the ethical role of the trauma leader, and the perceived importance of ethics as an educational subject.
Methods
The article employs an international questionnaire promoted by the World Society of Emergency Surgery.
Results
Through the analysis of 402 fully filled questionnaires by surgeons from 72 different countries, the three main ethical topics are investigated through the lens of gender, membership of an academic or non-academic institution, an official trauma team, and a diverse group. In general terms, results highlight greater attention paid by surgeons belonging to academic institutions, official trauma teams, and diverse groups.
Conclusions
Our results underline that some organizational factors (e.g., the fact that the team belongs to a university context or is more diverse) might lead to the development of a higher sensibility on ethical matters. Embracing cultural diversity forces trauma teams to deal with different mindsets. Organizations should, therefore, consider those elements in defining their organizational procedures.
Level of evidence
Trauma and acute care teams work under tremendous pressure and complex circumstances, with their members needing to make ethical decisions quickly. The international survey allowed to shed light on how team assembly decisions might represent an opportunity to coordinate team member actions and increase performance.
Description
Emerg Surg 17, 44 (2022)
Keywords
Trauma surgery, Ethics, Acute care surgery, Diversity, Team dynamics
Citation
Cobianchi, L., Dal Mas, F., Massaro, M. et al. Diversity and ethics in trauma and acute care surgery teams: results from an international survey. World J Emerg Surg 17, 44 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13017-022-00446-8