It's Complicated: A Podcast about Healthcare Ethics in Practice

Host Marika Warren Guest Rachel Askett, Wellness and Education Lead, Northern Zone DISCUSSION QUESTIONS RESOURCES Canadian Medical Association (CMA): Organizational Wellness https://www.cma.ca/resources/physician-wellness-hub/topics/organizational-wellness Elisseou S. (2023). Trauma-Informed Care: A Missing Link in Addressing Burnout. Journal of healthcare leadership, 15, 169–173. https://doi.org/10.2147/JHL.S389271 Guitar, N.A., Molinaro, M.L. (2017)Vicarious trauma and secondary traumatic stress in health care professionals. University of Western Ontario Medical Journal, 86 (2): 42-43 https://ojs.lib.uwo.ca/index.php/uwomj/article/view/2021 Government of Nova Scotia (2015) Trauma-informed approaches – An Introduction and Discussion Guide for Health and Social Service Providers. IWK Health Centre, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Government of Nova Scotia, May 2015. https://novascotia.ca/dhw/addictions/documents/TIP_Discussion_Guide_1.pdf    Mental Health Commission...

Host

Marika Warren

Guest

Francis Bakewell

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

How may trust or distrust manifest in the health care setting?In the patient-provider interaction?

In the interaction between providers?

What are some of the systemic factors that may impact trust relationships between heath care providers?

How might silo’s in health care impact patient care and patient trust in health care?

RESOURCES

Varga AI, Spehar I, Veggeland F, Skirbekk H. Factors influencing trust among colleagues in hospital settings: a systematic review. BMC Health Serv Res. 2025 Jan 3;25(1):16. doi: 10.1186/s12913-024-12159-6. PMID: 39754115; PMCID: PMC11697850.

Sutherland BL, Pecanac K, LaBorde TM, Bartels CM, Brennan MB. Good working relationships: how healthcare system proximity influences trust between healthcare workers. J Interprof Care. 2022 May-Jun;36(3):331-339. doi: 10.1080/13561820.2021.1920897. Epub 2021 Jun 14. PMID: 34126853; PMCID: PMC8669032.

Corbaz-Kurth S, Weissbrodt R, Juvet TM, Hannart S, Krsmanovic B, Salamin Plaschy I, Terrier P. How does trust emerge in interprofessional collaboration? A qualitative study of the significance, importance, and dynamics of trust in healthcare teams and networks. J Interprof Care. 2025 May 15:1-10. doi: 10.1080/13561820.2025.2495013. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40370201.

Discussion and Resource PageDownload

Host

Marika Warren, NSHEN Ethicist

Guests

David Henderson

and

Sarah Manley

Simulated Patient

Theofani Pitsiavas

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Which part of the simulated conversation stood out to you? why?

Were there any aspects of the conversation where you would have liked more information from the patient about their values and preferences?

How might you help patients identify their values and preferences?

How can a conversation like this benefit the patient and his family?

Edward finds it difficult to talk with his wife and kids about his illness and what happens when he dies. Do you think this is common?

Discuss different ways to make people (health care providers, patients and families) more comfortable talking about their values and preferences to help determine Goals of Care and Levels of Interventions. How do we ‘normalize’ these conversations?

Discussion Questions and Resources PDFDownload

Host

Marika Warren, NSHEN Ethicist

Guests

Lisa Weatherbee, Professional Practice Lead, Palliative Care, NS Health

and

Sarah Manley, Manager of Planning and Development with Palliative Care Network, NS Health

Discussion Questions

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

How can health care providers prevent their own biases from influencing the patient’s decisions around goals of care?

How might you help patients identify their values and preferences?

In the podcast they talk about the importance of identifying and documenting Goals of Care and Level of Interventions in many different situations and that it should not be limited to end-of-life. In your opinion, when should conversations about Goals of Care take place?

Discuss different ways to make people (health care providers, patients and families) more comfortable talking about their values and preferences to help determine Goals of Care and Levels of Interventions. How do we ‘normalize’ these conversations?

RESOURCES

The resources shared in this podcast were developed collaboratively by the Nova Scotia Health Palliative Care Network, the Integrated Acute and Episodic Care Network, and the Interprofessional Practice and Learning Team. This partnership ensured a comprehensive and inclusive approach to supporting care across settings.

Goals of Care (Clinical Practice Support/ Library Guide) https://library.nshealth.ca/GoalsofCare

[note: this website includes links to resources developed for health care providers and resources developed for patients and families, including the patient education pamphlets individually linked below]

Talking about your Goals of Care and Levels of Intervention: https://www.nshealth.ca/patient-education-resources/2208

Nova Scotia Green Sleeve Information for Patients, Families, and Substitute Decision-Makers https://www.nshealth.ca/patient-education-resources/1833

Conversations about Serious Illness (Clinical Practice Support/ Library Guide) https://library.nshealth.ca/SeriousIllness

Palliative Care (Clinical Practice Support/ Library Guide)

https://library.nshealth.ca/PalliativeCare

Goals of Care Discussion Qs and ResourcesDownload

with

Host, Andrea Frolic

and special guest

James Downar, MDCM, MHSc, FRCPC

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What surprised you about psychedelics research and its potentials in treating end-of-life patients’ psychological distress?

Dr. Downar describes several challenges associated with conducting research with psychedelics for treatment of psychological distress in end-of-life patients.  Do you think that the regulatory barriers to research on psychedelics are ethically justifiable?

Do you think it is morally imperative to be more risk tolerant when it comes to making psychedelics accessible to end-of -life patients as a way of treating psychological distress?

RESOURCES

Kratina S, Lo C, Strike C, Schwartz R, Rush B. Psychedelics to Relieve Psychological Suffering Associated with a Life-Threatening Diagnosis: Time for a Canadian Policy Discussion. Health Policy. 2023;18(4):134-142. doi:10.12927/hcpol.2023.27048  

Watt CL, Downar J. Whither palliative care. Curr Oncol. 2019;26(3):164-165. doi:10.3747/co.26.4803

Podcasts: Psychedelics: Is it time to change your mind… The Critical Care Commute Podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/psychedelics-is-it-time-to-change-your-mind-with-dr/id1651920943?i=1000715746659

Ethics and Psychedelics Research Discussion Qs and ResourcesDownload