Is it justifiable to withhold life-sustaining treatments?
In numerous legal cases, courts have found that it is equally justifiable to withdraw as to withhold life-sustaining treatments. Also, most bioethicists, including the President's Commission, are of the same opinion. Does the patients have to be terminally ill to refuse treatment?
Can a patient refuse life-sustaining treatments?
That was then, this is now. A number of benchmark court cases have recognized the patient’s right to refuse life-sustaining treatments such as transfusion, ventilation, nutrition, and hydration. That was a major shift.
What are the two necessary conditions for life-sustaining interventions?
Next, the two necessary conditions for any medical treatment, i.e., that it is medically indicated and that consent is obtained, are applied to life-sustaining interventions. Finally, the difference between withholding and withdrawing a life-sustaining treatment is discussed.
Should we discontinue life-sustaining treatment for cost reasons alone?
It is rarely justifiable to discontinue life-sustaining treatment for cost reasons alone. While we should always try to avoid costly treatments that offer little or no benefit, our obligation to the patient outweighs our obligation to save money for health care institutions.
In what situation would it be most appropriate to consider withdrawing life sustaining treatment?
When an intervention no longer helps to achieve the patient's goals for care or desired quality of life, it is ethically appropriate for physicians to withdraw it.
Do patients have the right to refuse life sustaining treatment?
Under federal law, the Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) guarantees the right to refuse life sustaining treatment at the end of life.
On what grounds can anyone judge that some quality of life would be undesirable for a patient?
On what grounds can anyone judge that some quality of life would be undesirable for a patient who cannot make or express such a judgment? With the patient's desire to live, it would be assumed that she would not desire a life with diminished quality. A life that would prevent her from making her own decisions.
Are physicians legally required to provide all life sustaining measures possible?
Patients with decision-making capacity have the right to forgo life-sustaining treatment, whether or not they are terminally ill. Health care providers are not required to continue life-sustaining treatment solely because it has been initiated.
When a patient is clinically unable to give consent to a lifesaving emergency treatment the law provides that?
-When patient clinically unable to give consent the law implies consent on the presumption that a reasonable person would consent to lifesaving medical intervention.
Which of the following times can the patient's right to refuse medical treatment be denied?
Non-Life-Threatening Treatment Most people in the United States have a right to refuse care if treatment is for a non-life-threatening illness.
What are legal issues that might affect clinical decisions?
7 Current Legal Issues in HealthcareTelehealth law. ... HIPAA compliance and PHI. ... Healthcare employers liability & ensuring safe work conditions. ... Long-term care and nursing homes. ... False Claims Act. ... Patient safety and healthcare inequity. ... General access to healthcare.
Who should decide a person's quality of life?
Health professionals frequently make quality of life judgments when making decisions about the care of disabled patients,1 and the professional's view on expected quality of life is often the key factor in determining whether effective treatment for a life threatening condition will be given or withdrawn.
How do you assess quality of life?
Three Sources of Descriptive Information for Quality-of-Life MeasuresSickness Impact Profile (SIP)Quality of Well-Being (QWB) Scale.Psychological General Well-Being (PGWB) Index.McMaster Health Index Questionnaire (MHIQ)Nottingham Health Profile (NHP)General Health Rating Index (GHRI)
What allows patients to request that life-sustaining treatments and nutritional support not be used to prolong their life?
The advance directive allows you to make specific written instructions for your future health care in the event of any situation in which you can no longer speak for yourself. It outlines your wishes about life-sustaining medical treatment if you are terminally ill or permanently unconscious, for example.
In which of the following situations can a physician go against the patient's advance directives?
Advance directives are legally binding, so doctors have to follow them. False. Advance directives are legally recognized documents and doctors must respect your known wishes, but doctors can always refuse to comply with your wishes if they have an objection of conscience or consider your wishes medically inappropriate.
Which legally allows parents to withhold life-sustaining treatment from a terminally ill child?
ADVANCE DIRECTIVES Those two legal documents are 1) a living will or 2) the durable power of attorney. A living will must be properly witnessed by a notary, and allows the patient to state, in writing, that they do not wish to be kept alive by artificial means or heroic measures.
What states have the right to refuse treatment?
Most states, including Washington State, have laws that guarantee the right to refuse treatment to terminally ill patients, usually defined as those having less than 6 months to live. These laws do not forbid other patients from exercising the same right.
What is the goal of a futile treatment?
In general, these goals are to cure if possible, or to palliate symptoms, prevent disease or disease complications, or improve functional status.
What is a surrogate decision maker?
Surrogate decision maker:In the absence of a written document, people close to the patient and familiar with their wishes may be very helpful. (See Advance Care Planning.) The law recognizes a hierarchy of family relationships in determining which family member should be the official "spokesperson," though generally all close family members and significant others should be involved in the discussion and reach some consensus. The hierarchy is as follows: 1 Legal guardian with health care decision-making authority 2 Individual given durable power of attorney for health care decisions 3 Spouse 4 Adult children of patient (all in agreement) 5 Parents of patient 6 Adult siblings of patient (all in agreement)
What is UW Dept of Bioethics and Humanities?
of Bioethics & Humanities is in the process of updating all Ethics in Medicine articles for attentiveness to the issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Please check back soon for updates!
Why is it important to say that a patient is competent?
Patients are presumed to be "competent" to make a treatment decisions. Often it's better to say they have "decision making capacity" to avoid confusion with legal determinations of competence. In the courts, someone's competence is evaluated in a formal, standardized way.
Is it justifiable to withdraw from life-sustaining treatments?
In numerous legal cases, courts have found that it is equally justifiable to withdraw as to withhold life-sustaining treatments. Also, most bioethicists, including the President's Commission, are of the same opinion.
Is it justifiable to withdraw from a treatment?
If the patient has the ability to make decisions, fully understands the consequences of their decision, and states they no longer want a treatment, it is justifiable to withdraw the treatment. Treatment withdrawal is also justifiable if the treatment no longer offers benefit to the patient.