Forming an ethics committee in an intensive care unit. A personal perspective.

The formation of an ethics committee for educational purposes is a remarkable way for all health care members to learn about ethical decision making. Although we do not make decisions in this committee, the educational value of the committee has been tremendous. We believe that by educating staff members about ethical decision making, we will build a strong, ethical team that considers the entire patient and his or her wishes, rather than simply the medical technology we can provide in an ICU.