Prehospital emergency care in a humanitarian environment: an overview of the ethical considerations. Issue 6 (29th August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Prescott, Tim; May, S; Horne, S; Barnard, E
• Is Part Of: BMJ military health. Volume 168:Issue 6(2022)
• Page Start: 431
• Page End: 434
• Publication Date: 2022-08-29
• Subjects: medical ethics -- accident & emergency medicine -- adult intensive & critical care -- trauma management; Medicine, Military -- Periodicals; Military hygiene -- Periodicals; 355.345
• DOI: 10.1136/military-2022-002201
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2633-3767

Abstract

Abstract : Recent history has demonstrated that UK Defence personnel can be used, potentially with little notice, in humanitarian disaster zones. The provision of prehospital emergency care (PHEC) in a humanitarian environment requires an innovative approach to overcome the technical challenges of a resource-limited setting. In addition to technical challenges, prehospital practitioners working in a humanitarian environment can expect to be faced with ethically testing situations that they are not familiar with in their usual practice. The organisational and individual ethical decision-making burden can result in significant harms. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to discuss the ethical considerations relevant to providing PHEC during a humanitarian disaster in order that personnel can be more prepared to optimally deliver care. This is a paper commissioned as a part of the Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Operations special issue of BMJ Military Health .