Ethics team members are available seven days a week, 24 hours a day. If you think an ethics consult would be helpful, please call the hospital operator at 202-476-5000 or email us at EthicsProgram@childrensnational.org. Ask the hospital operator to page the ethics team leader on call.
If a meeting is decided, the ethics team leader will set up a date, time and place and contact those who need to be involved. At the meeting, most patients are represented by a parent or guardian, although patients 18 years and older are automatically included. Families are encouraged to bring a support person—a relative, close friend, pastor or anyone they trust.