scholarly journals Establishing Animal Welfare Rules of Conduct for the Portuguese Veterinary Profession—Results from a Policy Delphi with Vignettes

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1596
Author(s):  
Manuel Magalhães-Sant'Ana ◽  
Maria Conceição Peleteiro ◽  
George Stilwell
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Delphi Study ◽  
Moral Agency ◽  
Code Of Conduct ◽  
Policy Delphi ◽  
Veterinary Profession ◽  
Legal Obligations ◽  
Regulatory Standards ◽  
Level Of Agreement

Promoting animal welfare is one of the basic tenets of the veterinary profession and, in doing so, veterinarians are expected to abide to the highest legal and professional standards. However, the Portuguese veterinary code of conduct, established in 1994, largely overlooks animal welfare and fails to address issues such as the euthanasia or humane killing of animals. As part of a wider research aiming to revise the Portuguese veterinary code of conduct, a Policy Delphi study was conducted in late 2018, using a pre-validated three-round structure and vignette methodology, to explore the range of opinions and the level of agreement on end-of-life dilemmas and animal welfare rules of conduct of a purposeful sample of forty-one (out of seventy) Portuguese veterinarians. When faced with ethical vignettes involving end-of-life dilemmas, veterinarians were shown to privilege personal moral agency over legal obligations in order to defend the interests of stakeholders, namely of the animals. Most participants agreed that the suggested animal welfare rules of conduct reflected their own views on the subject (88%), in addition to representing a significant improvement in terms of regulatory standards (93%). We expect that this study will support regulation and policy-making by the Portuguese Veterinary Order and by veterinary representative bodies elsewhere.

scholarly journals ‘Care about my animal, know your stuff and take me seriously’: United Kingdom and Australian clients’ views on the capabilities most important in their veterinarians

2018 ◽  
Vol 183 (17) ◽  
pp. 534-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsty Hughes ◽  
Susan M Rhind ◽  
Liz Mossop ◽  
Kate Cobb ◽  
Emma Morley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
International Project ◽  
Client Experience ◽  
Veterinary Profession ◽  
Client Relationships ◽  
Stakeholder Needs

Success in veterinary practice requires careful balancing of stakeholder needs. The aim of this study was to investigate the current expectations and needs of veterinary clients across a range of practice types. Interviews and focus groups were undertaken with veterinary clients to identify the capabilities of veterinarians that result in the best client experience, generating a ‘Veterinary Capability Framework’. This comprised six main capabilities each containing 4–10 behavioural indicators: client relationships; professionalism; communication skills; decision-making and problem solving; commitment to animal welfare; and commitment to quality and the profession. An online survey was then conducted to validate the importance of these capabilities, which was completed by 1446 mostly UK and Australian clients. The data have allowed us to develop a ‘Client Hierarchy of Needs’ which emphasises the fundamental importance of commitment to animal welfare and veterinary capabilities to the client experience. This study is part of the VetSet2Go project, a collaborative international project to define the capabilities most important for employability and success in the veterinary profession today.

scholarly journals Sheep Farmers’ Perception of Welfare and Pain Associated with Routine Husbandry Practices in Chile

Animals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristian Larrondo ◽  
Hedie Bustamante ◽  
Carmen Gallo
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Pain Perception ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Numerical Rating Scale ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Flock Size ◽  
Husbandry Practices ◽  
Level Of Agreement

Considering the public concern about the welfare of farm animals during routine husbandry practices, this study aimed to determine how husbandry practices are carried out in Chilean farms, sheep farmers’ perceptions of animal welfare and pain, and factors that affect them, as well as the level of agreement among farmers in the recognition of pain associated with these practices. Using a self-administered survey, participants were asked about their sociodemographic information, how husbandry practices are carried out in their farms, and their pain perception for seven of these common husbandry procedures using a numerical rating scale (0 to 10). A total of 165 farmers completed the survey and perceived castration and tail docking as the most painful practices in lambs (median pain score 10 vs. 8, p < 0.05). Pain perception was associated with the method used for the specific husbandry practices, the farmers’ educational level, the farm size, and flock size (p < 0.05). There was a fair to good level of agreement beyond chance (p < 0.05) in the recognition of pain associated with the most painful practices. In general, husbandry practices are not carried out in young animals, use painful methods, without using analgesics, which may have a negative impact on animal welfare.

scholarly journals Key Components for the Delivery of Palliative and End-of-Life Care in Care Homes in Hong Kong: A Modified Delphi Study

2022 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 667
Author(s):  
Helen Yue-Lai Chan ◽  
Cecilia Nim-Chee Chan ◽  
Chui-Wah Man ◽  
Alice Dik-Wah Chiu ◽  
Faith Chun-Fong Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Delphi Study ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Care Home ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Life Care ◽  
Home Setting ◽  
Modified Delphi

Integrating the palliative care approach into care home service to address the complex care needs of older adults with frailty or advanced diseases has been increasingly recognized. However, such a service is underdeveloped in Hong Kong owing to socio-cultural and legal concerns. We adopted a modified Delphi study design to identify the key components for the delivery of palliative and end-of-life care in care home settings for the local context. It was an iterative staged method to assimilate views of experts in aged care, palliative care, and care home management. A multidisciplinary expert panel of 18 members consented to participate in the study. They rated their level of agreement with 61 candidate statements identified through a scoping review in two rounds of anonymous surveys. The steering group revised the statements in light of the survey findings. Eventually, the finalized list included 28 key statements concerning structure and process of care in seven domains, namely policy and infrastructure, education, assessment, symptom management, communication, care for dying patients, and family support. The findings of this study underscored concerns regarding the feasibility of statements devised at different levels of palliative care development. This list would be instrumental for regions where the development of palliative and end-of-life care services in care home setting is at an initial stage.

scholarly journals Modified Policy-Delphi study for exploring obesity prevention priorities

BMJ Open ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. e011788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Haynes ◽  
Claire Palermo ◽  
Dianne P Reidlinger
Keyword(s):  
Obesity Prevention ◽  
Delphi Study ◽  
Policy Delphi

scholarly journals The Views of the UK Public Towards Routine Neutering of Dogs and Cats

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chanakarn Wongsaengchan ◽  
Dorothy McKeegan
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Linear Model ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
General Linear Model ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Future Policy ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Level Of Agreement

Despite being routinely recommended by veterinarians, neutering of dogs and cats has both positive and negative impacts on animal welfare and is ethically problematic. We examined attitudes of a sample of the UK public towards routine neutering of dogs and cats using a questionnaire. Respondents indicated their level of agreement with statements describing welfare and ethical reasons ‘for’ and ‘against’ the neutering of male and female dogs and cats. We conducted a general linear model (GLM) analysis to investigate the effects of demographic factors on agreement scores. Respondents (n = 451) expressed views both supporting and opposing neutering. The predominant view (>80%) supported neutering, justified primarily by prevention of unwanted offspring and reproductive diseases. Around 10% of the respondents disagreed and felt that neutering should only be done for medical reasons. Men were less likely than women to support neutering (p < 0.001). Those with meat reduction diets were more likely to be against neutering (p < 0.05) and cat owners supported neutering more than non-cat owners (p < 0.05). Although the data reflected a wide range of ethical views, our findings show that the UK public generally supports the routine neutering of dogs and cats. This insight has implications for future policy-making and compliance with veterinary advice.

Objectives and outcomes of clinical ethics services: a Delphi study

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (12) ◽  
pp. 761-769
Author(s):  
Leah McClimans ◽  
Geah Pressgrove ◽  
Emmaling Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Delphi Study ◽  
Clinical Ethics ◽  
Moral Distress ◽  
Medical College ◽  
Ethics Support ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Usa ◽  
American Society ◽  
Level Of Agreement

ObjectivesTo explore the objectives and outcomes most appropriate for evaluating clinical ethics support services (CESs) in the USA.MethodsA three-round e-Delphi was sent to two professional medical ethics listservs (Medical College of Wisconsin-Bioethics and American Society for Bioethics and Humanities) as well as 19 individual experts. The survey originally contained 15 objectives and 9 outcomes. In round 1, participants were asked to validate the content of these lists. In round 2, we had 17 objectives and 10 outcomes, and participants were asked to rank them for appropriateness in a top 10 list of objectives and a top 5 list of outcomes.ResultsParticipants came to a high(at least 70%) level of agreement on seven objectives: mediate, educate, develop policy, improve the moral quality of a decision or action, counsel, create a moral space and manage moral distress. Participants came to a moderate (at least 51%) level of agreement on three objectives: empower, awareness of ethics and preventative ethics. Participants also came to a moderate (at least 51%) level of agreement on five outcomes: ethical justification, transformation of institution, improvement of quality of life, principled consensus and satisfaction with the expertise of a CES.ConclusionThis e-Delphi identified 10 objectives and 5 outcomes that are a good starting point for developing outcome measures to evaluate CESs in the USA, while reminding us of the diversity of perspectives still evident in the field.

scholarly journals Visitor Restrictions, Palliative Care, and Epistemic Agency: A Qualitative Study of Nurses’ Relational Practice During the Coronavirus Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 233339362110517
Author(s):  
Kim McMillan ◽  
David K. Wright ◽  
Christine J. McPherson ◽  
Kristina Ma ◽  
Vasiliki Bitzas
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Moral Agency ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Ethical Reasoning ◽  
Epistemic Agency ◽  
Relational Practice ◽  
Philosophy Of Palliative Care ◽  
Pandemic Response

Efforts to curb spread of COVID-19 has led to restrictive visitor policies in healthcare, which disrupt social connection between patients and their families at end of life. We interviewed 17 Canadian nurses providing palliative care, to solicit their descriptions of, and responses to, ethical issues experienced as a result of COVID-19 related circumstances. Our analysis was inductive and scaffolded on notions of nurses’ moral agency, palliative care values, and our clinical practice in end-of-life care. Our findings reveal that while participants appreciated the need for pandemic measures, they found blanket policies separating patients and families to be antithetical to their philosophy of palliative care. In navigating this tension, nurses drew on the foundational values of their practice, engaging in ethical reasoning and action to integrate safety and humanity into their work. These findings underscore the epistemic agency of nurses and highlight the limits of a purely biomedical logic for guiding the nursing ethics of the pandemic response.

scholarly journals Two Domains to Five: Advancing Veterinary Duty of Care to Fulfil Public Expectations of Animal Welfare Expertise

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3504
Author(s):  
Katherine E. Littlewood ◽  
Ngaio J. Beausoleil
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Internal State ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
Veterinary Profession ◽  
Public Expectations ◽  
Animal Welfare Science ◽  
Health Experts

Veterinarians are animal health experts. More recently, they have been conferred a leading role as experts in animal welfare. This expectation of veterinarians as welfare experts appears to stem from their training in veterinary medicine as well as professional contributions to welfare-relevant policy and law. Veterinarians are ideally situated to act as animal welfare experts by virtue of their core work with animals and potential influence over owners, their roles in policy development, compliance, and monitoring, and as educators of future veterinarians. However, since its inception as a discipline over 70 years ago, animal welfare science has moved beyond a two-dimensional focus on nutrition and health (biological functioning) towards an understanding that the mental experiences of animals are the focus of welfare consideration. The Five Domains Model is a structured and systematic framework for more holistically considering conditions that contribute to the animal’s internal state and its perception of its external situation, and the resultant mental experiences. The Model can be used to better align veterinary animal welfare expertise with contemporary understanding of animal welfare science and improve welfare literacy within the veterinary profession. Improved understanding of animal welfare science is likely to lead to increased confidence, competence, and empowerment to act as experts in their daily lives.

The veterinary profession and animal welfare

1993 ◽  
Vol 133 (8) ◽  
pp. 195-195
Author(s):  
D. Coffey
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Veterinary Profession
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