Special Problems in Anesthesia

Professional conduct embodies the treatment of patients, family members, and coworkers with dignity and kindness. These values underscore physicians’ unique position in society as healers and the vital importance of acknowledging diversity with sensitivity and compassion. The practice of medicine requires the highest standards of professionalism during clinical practice, education, and research. Modern medical bioethics is a framework composed of four pillars: patient autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and social justice. Physician impairment is the inability to safely fulfill these obligations of patient care secondary to substance use disorder, fatigueFatigue, or agingAging.