Ethical issues in resuscitation and intensive care medicine

Both legal and ethical issues may be encountered by intensive care practitioners on a regular basis. A keen knowledge of the law and of professional guidelines will assist decision-making in challenging clinical cases. Four bioethical principles can be utilized in ethical dilemmas to provide a framework upon which to base moral decisions. Being able to assess mental capacity and ascertain a patient's best interests are both key requisites for the intensive care practitioner. The application of these principles to common scenarios is discussed.