Response Paper: A Critical Review of Sprengholz's Public Preferences Regarding Slow Codes in Critical Care
Abstract
Throughout the decades, the ethical debate on 'slow code' has traversed a spectrum. Most have condemned it as deceptive, while others argued for its usefulness in balancing clinician integrity and family wishes in an otherwise emotionally complex dilemma, albeit desperately and imperfectly. The study by Sprengholz, "Public Preferences Regarding Slow Codes in Critical Care", contributed empirical data to a discourse chiefly shaped by expertise and opinion by exploring the layperson's perception of the practice's ethicality. Sprengholz's attempt, though commendable, falls short in its underdeveloped methodology, thus raising concern about the validity of its claimed conclusion. This article critically evaluates the study's limitations and misguidances, simultaneously beginning to propose modifications for future research designs.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Family and Patient Care in Intensive Care Units
Ethics in medical practice
Patient Dignity and Privacy
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Bioethics
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Volume
- 40
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 403–405
- Publication date
- 4 January 2026
- Language
- EN