Reference no: EM132896428

Mr. Gomez is a 73-year-old man who is estranged from his wife. Since he prefers that she doesn't make any medical decisions for him should the need arise, he has filled out an advance directive naming his daughter Elena as his health care proxy. He has suffered from diabetes for many years and is adamant that he does not want dialysis, even if it would sustain his life. He does, however, wish to have tube feeding for however long it will sustain him.

• One evening while at home with his daughter, Mr. Suarez has a seizure. He is taken to the hospital immediately, but never regains consciousness and doctors do not expect him to do so. Elena contacts her mother Mr. Gomez's estranged wife and she quickly joins her daughter at the hospital. They want to put him on dialysis (as his diabetes is worsening) and a feeding tube (as there is no other way for him to receive nutrients). His daughter informs the doctors of her father's end-of-life wishes. The doctors warn her that without dialysis her father will pass away more quickly, even with the feeding tube. Mr. Gomez's estranged wife informs Elena that she needs to follow the advice received from the doctors in order to save her father's life. Elena says that although she is aware of the consequences, she wants them to carry out her father's wishes.
• The clients estranged wife immediately has her attorney file an order to stop Elena from following her father's wishes that are in his advanced directive. She feels that even though they are estranged, she still should have the right to make decisions regarding Mr. Gomez's care. This action delays Elena's ability to honor her father's wishes and the doctors feel that it is necessary to inform the hospital's ethics committee about the ongoing issue.

Assignment: Discuss the following questions

Question 1. What is the role of the doctors in deciding whether or not to respect Mr. Gomez's advanced directive?

Question 2. Does Mr. Gomez's estranged wife have the authority to step in and ignore Mr. Gomez's advanced directive. Explain your reasoning while providing evidence-based solutions in your conclusion.

Question 3. Gomez's estranged wife has filed temporary order to ignore the advanced directive. If you were Elena, how would you handle this dilemma? What rights does Elena have that allow her to honor her father's wishes?

Question 4. What is the role of the ethics committee and how can they best support the client and his family?