Ethical Awareness and Practices Among Emergency Department Personnel in Riyadh's Tertiary Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Ahmed M Al-Wathinani; Abdullah A AlHokair; Abdullah Z Almeshari; Faisal Saud Alsaqri; Faisal M Aldaihan; Assem Saleh Alrumeh; Abdulaziz A AlOtaibi; Ibrahim Abdullah Alkanhal; Mohammed Aljuaid; Malek Khalid Albusair; Abdulaziz Ali Alluhayb; Krzysztof Goniewicz

doi:10.2147/RMHP.S458598

Ethical Awareness and Practices Among Emergency Department Personnel in Riyadh's Tertiary Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2024 Mar 23:17:677-688. doi: 10.2147/RMHP.S458598. eCollection 2024.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Emergency Medical Services, Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz College for Emergency Medical Services, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
² Private Sector Participation Program for MOH Laboratories, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
³ Pathology Department, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Pharmacy Department, Dallah Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Pathology Department, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabi.
⁷ Hematology and Oncology Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Department of Health Administration College of Business Administration King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁹ Emergency department, Prince sultan military medical city, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁰ Department of Security, Polish Air Force University, Deblin, 08-521, Poland.

Abstract

Introduction: Ethical dilemmas in healthcare, particularly in emergency medical services (EMS), present significant challenges for healthcare workers (HCWs), necessitating a profound understanding of ethics and decision-making. This study assesses the ethical awareness and practices among HCWs in emergency departments of tertiary hospitals in Saudi Arabia, aiming to identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 256 HCWs, including physicians, nurses, and administrative staff, in emergency departments across tertiary hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire evaluated participants' knowledge of healthcare ethics, their experiences with ethical dilemmas, and the sources from which they derived their ethical understanding.

Results: The majority of participants exhibited a commendable level of ethical knowledge and practice, with frequent encounters of ethical or legal issues highlighting the pervasive nature of ethical challenges in emergency healthcare settings. Key sources of ethical knowledge included experiential learning and academic lectures, with a notable emphasis on practical experience. Despite the satisfactory level of ethical awareness, areas requiring further educational focus were identified, emphasizing the need for enhanced ethics training tailored to the emergency medical context.

Discussion: The findings underline the critical importance of incorporating ethics into the core of healthcare education and ongoing professional development for HCWs. Establishing a culture of continuous ethical dialogue and learning is essential for fostering patient-centered care and making informed ethical decisions in the fast-paced environment of emergency services. The study advocates for revising current ethics training programs to ensure they are comprehensive, relevant, and accessible, preparing HCWs to effectively address both current and future ethical challenges.

Keywords: awareness; emergency department; ethical awareness; ethical knowledge; healthcare workers; knowledge; tertiary hospitals.