St. Luke’s hosts conference on ethical dilemmas during disasters

May 20, 2009 
 
Healthcare workers, volunteers, students and community members are invited to one-day conference on dealing with ethical dilemmas and common phases of disasters.

St. Luke’s is hosting the second annual R. Thomas Stewart Clinical Ethics Conference on Friday, June 5, 2009 at the Cedar Rapids Marriott Hotel. The featured speaker is Lisa LaDue. She will discuss ethical dilemmas faced during the initial phase of a disaster and take a closer look at what disaster recovery phase Cedar Rapids is currently dealing with and examine expected potential ethical dilemmas.

LaDue is the co-founder, former director and former senior advisor for the National Mass Fatalities Institute. She worked in the Pentagon Family Assistance Center following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, was co-leader of a team of trauma specialists in India providing trauma recovery training and services for tsunami survivors and was a mental health specialist for hurricane Katrina survivors.

In addition to LaDue’s appearance there will be several other featured speakers and a panel discussion featuring Mary Ann Osborn, St. Luke’s Hospital Chief Clinical Officer; Dr. Mark Valliere, Mercy Medical Center Chief Medical Officer; Anne Strellner, St. Luke’s Safety Manager; Tom Ulrich, Linn County Emergency Management Agency and Lu Barron, Linn County Board of Supervisors. The panel will discuss the experience of last year’s flood and what can be learned from those experiences as the community moves forward.

What: Second Annual R. Thomas Stewart Clinical Ethics Conference

Where: Cedar Rapids Marriott Hotel, 1200 Collins Road NE, Cedar Rapids

When: Friday, June 5, 2009
Registration starts at 7:30 a.m., Program 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Who: Anyone interested in the ethical dilemmas and common phases of disasters.

How: Register by calling 319/369-8750

Cost:
Retired nurses $35
Undergraduate student nurses $35
St. Luke’s and Iowa Health System employees and volunteers $50
Others $80

This event is sponsored a generous contribution from the R. Thomas Stewart endowment fund and St. Luke’s Hospital.

MEDIA CONTACT: Sarah Corizzo, St. Luke’s Hospital, 319/369-8372 or 319/560-2385.