Would situation be different if mrs c had a living will

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Reference no: EM133248881

Assignment - Emphysema Case Study

Case Study - Mrs. C.: No Advance Directive Mrs. C., an 85-year-old woman with severe emphysema, is found unresponsive by the nursing staff. Since she has no living will or advance directive, an ambulance is called. Emergency medical personnel perform endotracheal intubation and resuscitate her successfully. She then is taken to the local hospital for treatment of pneumonia and respiratory failure. After treatment for her medical conditions, she cannot be weaned from the respirator. The patient is able to communicate her wishes by using head signals and writing notes. After several weeks of treatment, she asks that the respirator be discontinued and she be allowed to die. Mrs. C. asserts emphatically that she would not have wanted to be resuscitated in the first place, although she never executed an advanced directive or discussed these specific wishes with anyone.

Questions -

1. Is the patient's decision a rational one?

2. What is the difference between withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatment?

3. In view of the fact that a potent sedative such as morphine may produce respiratory depression, should this be given prior to discontinuing the respirator? Would this constitute active euthanasia?

4. Would the situation be different if Mrs. C. had a living will?

5. What role could the nurse play in addressing the ethical issues in this case?

Reference no: EM133248881

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