What ethical considerations would you take into account when evaluating a very elderly, frail patient for a vascular procedure like an aortic aneurysm repair?
Specialty-Specific
Purpose
This question is all about understanding how you think through ethical dilemmas in high-risk situations. Interviewers want to see if you can balance patient safety, their wishes, and the potential benefits of surgery.
Tips
- Acknowledge the patient's vulnerability and the risks involved with surgery.
- Discuss key ethical principles like patient autonomy, beneficence, and non-maleficence clearly.
- Engage in shared decision-making by asking about the patient's values and what quality of life means to them.
Common mistakes
- Don't just focus on the technical aspects of surgery; remember the patient's overall well-being.
- Avoid sounding paternalistic; it's not just about what you think is best.
- Don't skip discussing the potential for surgical futility or the impact on the patient's quality of life.