Abstract
InnovAiT is produced on a 3-year cycle. However, many articles do not significantly go out of date in that time. This section of InnovAiT summarises articles from the previous cycle of InnovAiT that GPs and GPs in training might still find useful today. The special issue from August 2017 was thought provoking and considered the theme of difficult decision making.
Everyday clinical dilemmas
Dr Helen Salisbury, Dr Sharon Dixon and Dr Andrew N Papanikitas
InnovAiT 2017 10(8): 442–447
Some of the everyday clinical dilemmas we face are not always recognised as having ethical challenges. This article covers four typical cases that illustrate and explore the ethical dimensions to encourage case discussion and are useful for ePortfolios or appraisal.
Difficult decisions: Choosing a practice
Dr Kathryn Harrison
InnovAiT 2017 10(8): 448–451
As training draws to a conclusion, thoughts will turn to career opportunities and perhaps to a choice of practice. If you are in this position, how do you assess prospective colleagues and practices? This article aims to offer practical advice and guidance.
Self-awareness and professionalism
Dr Andrew N Papanikitas
InnovAiT 2017 10(8): 452–457
Professionalism is a key component of good medical practice and self-awareness is a key component of professionalism. This article poses four questions to achieve better professional self-awareness: What are my goals? What are my beliefs? What are my values? What is my condition?
Difficult decisions: The ethics of GP commissioning
Dr Andrew N Papanikitas and Dr Dennis Cox
InnovAiT 2017 10(8): 458–464
GPs have been involved in commissioning healthcare for years, well before the Health and Social Care Act of 2012. This article discusses the ethics of commissioning and resource allocation as an essential skill for all GPs, but one that requires difficult decisions to be made in a way that is coherent and consistent with public trust.
The psychology of uncertainty in difficult decisions
Dr Avril Danczak and Dr Alison Lea
InnovAiT 2017 10(8): 466–472
Uncertainty is everywhere in clinical practice and this has psychological ramifications. Embracing uncertainty and learning how to handle it well can improve decision making, resilience and job satisfaction. This article explains how.
Enpowering or frightening? Sharing uncertainty with patients
Dr Avril Danczak and Dr Alison Lea
InnovAiT 2017 10(8): 473–480
Patients can find the uncertainties in their clinical care difficult to cope with. This article focuses on understanding patients’ responses to uncertainty and offers skills and strategies for sharing uncertainty with patients to improve communication.
Ethical issues in genetic medicine
Professor Anneke Lucassen and Professor Bobbie Farsides
InnovAiT 2017 10(8): 481–488
As genetic technology becomes cheaper and faster, it is more often applied outside the specialty of clinical genetics. This excellent article reviews some examples of how this is impacting on general practice and posing some ethical dilemmas.
Ethical dilemmas in palliative care
Dr Paul Barker
InnovAiT 2017 10(8): 489–492
This short article poses some ethical dilemmas and how they apply sometimes in palliative care. It reviews the relevance of the ethical principles and how they can help achieve the best care for patients.