Reference no: EM133491219

Assignment:

A healthcare manager is included in an Ethics Committee Meeting. The Committee consists of the Committee Chair, a recording Secretary, an ICU doctor, three nurses, a social worker, a Nurse Practitioner, the CNO, the Chief Medical Officer, the Chaplain, a public member, a nurse from the pediatric ICU, and a doctor from the Pediatric ICU. There is a situation in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). A Baby Bundle was born yesterday with anencephaly. Because he had trouble breathing, he was placed on a ventilator and is in the NICU.

Thus, Baby Bundle has no cognitive abilities or awareness, and cannot hear or see or otherwise interact with his environment. Baby Bundle's brain stem supports his autonomic and reflex actions, but he is permanently unconscious because he lacks a cerebrum. The issue is the father wants to terminate Baby Bundle's treatment. The mother wants to continue medical treatment. The doctors have informed the parents of the dismal future for the child and advise termination of treatment. The nurses feel that the child feels pain and is suffering when they suction his ventilator tube and take blood work. Mr. and Mrs. Bundle have been married for 5 years and this is their first child. Mr. Bundle is an accountant and Mrs. Bundle works for NASA but is now on maternity leave for 6 months.

How can the healthcare manager:

• Identify the major stakeholders in the case.
• Identify the ultimate decisions makers (e.g., medical team, parents, etc.) in the case.
• Explain Baby Bundle's rights in this case.
• Describe the ethical theories or principles that pertain to the case.
• Analyze your role as a healthcare manager in this ethics committee decision.
• Based on review of the case and the fact that the parents are not in agreement, state your recommendation to the committee for next steps.