- Discuss who is included in the highest priority group to receive scarce resources (treatment) and why.
Those included in the highest priority group are those who will benefit the most, eg. who has a better chance of survival and who has a better chance of living longer after recovering from Covid-19. The article also states that those who are more severely ill than another should have high priority to receive scarce resources.
- Why do the articles state age alone should not be a determining factor to receive scarce resources (treatment). Do you agree? Why or why not?
The article states that younger people should not be prioritized when it comes to vaccines for preventable, not curable purposes. This is because older people are more affected by the virus and tend to have underlying conditions that put them more at risk. I agree with this due to the younger population having a higher survival rate and their symptoms tend to not be as severe. However, I do think younger patients who have underlying issues should be prioritized as receiving a preventative vaccine, just as older people should. The second article states that age alone should not be a determining factor because that would be discriminatory. While I agree with this statement, I also think that younger people would recover and live a healthier life. Even if older people recovered, they could be left with more debilitating after effects and their quality of life may be poor compared to young patients who recover.
- Discuss the best way for health care professionals to make the difficult decisions on who to treat first?
First of all, I cannot even imagine being in the position to choose who lives and who dies, but being in the medical field, it’s something we all must come to terms with that one day it may be us making that decision. Ultimately, health care workers should choose to treat the patients who will have the best chance of recovery and life a healthier life after recovery.
- Discuss the best ways for health care personnel to talk to families about the decisions made (allocation of scarce resources) and why they were made.
Patients and their families should not be shielded from harsh realities, but given the hard facts from the beginning. While health care providers try to provide hope in most circumstances, they can still do that while warning of what may come. It is also important to explain to them different scenarios that may arise and change the course of care and treatment for their loved one. Knowing upfront won’t make it any easier for the family should the time come, but it will hopefully minimize the surprise and shock factor and give them time to absorb the information.
- Discuss who is included in the highest priority group to receive scarce resources (treatment) and why.
Those that are included in the highest priority group to receive scarce resources is the ones who have the best chance of recovery this is because someone who has the best chance of recovery will come off of the ventilator sooner than late. Those that do not have the best chance at recovery may be on those ventilators for a long time before something is done and it is better to have someone that would have a shorter time on it. Also health care workers are at the highest priority group too because they are helping save the lives of people.
- Why do the articles state age alone should not be a determining factor to receive scarce resources (treatment). Do you agree? Why or why not?
The articles states age alone should not be the determining fact to receive scarce resources because since they are young does not mean that they will have the best chance of recovery. Just because you are old does not mean that you do not have a chance at surviving this. Age is not the determining fact it is whoever has the best chance of recovery. I agree that age should not be the determining factor because there are older people at are strong and may have a better recovery then someone that is young. Everyone is human and everyone should be given the right to get treatment no matter what age they are.
- Discuss the best way for health care professionals to make the difficult decisions on who to treat first?
The best way for health care professionals to make the difficult decisions on who to treat first is to try and put their emotions aside and look at who will have the best recovery at the end of the day. Hospitals do have a separate triage teams to make the call so that the doctors and nurses do not have to make that hard decision sometime.
- Discuss the best ways for health care personnel to talk to families about the decisions made (allocation of scarce resources) and why they were made.
The best way for health care personnel to talk to families about the decisions made and why they were made is to be honest with them and tell them that they have done everything that could for the person but the chance of recovery is very low. Being honest with the family helps them understand why the decision was made. Even if it not what the family wants they will eventually understand why it had to be done. They should not be shielded from the reality of what could happen.
