A Legal and Ethical Dilemma

A Legal and Ethical Dilemma

This paper talks about legal and ethical boundaries as it relates to patient’s right to die. Mrs. Greene used to live alone in her own home with help from a private-obligation nursing assistant and a housekeeper. Her husband and herself have dwelled together in this home for over 50 years yet that changed her better half passed away. Mrs. Greene chose to stay in her home alone. She could keep up her own health until the point when she couldn’t any longer. Her only child; David moved her into I nursing home where she is treated. well and she is taken care of daily. Mrs. Green son (David) has express that his mother wants to die. In this paper, we will discuss how the nursing home will handle this situation, obstacles, and factors that take place.

Legal and ethical issues, and how patient’s right to die relates to the case study

In reading this case study, Mrs. Greene health has been slowly declining since losing her independence, and the home that her and her husband lived in for over 50 years. She is now to the point where she is unable to eat on her own and is losing 5 pounds per week. David (Mrs. Greene son) is finding it to be very to work every day at the law practice and handle issues and situation that upraise with his mother. David stated to the charge nurse that his mother has expressed that she wanted to die and didn’t want to eat anything so she could die quicker. When David comes to see his mother, Mrs. Greene acts agitated. David believes that the facility is not meeting his mother wishes and has treatment them with a lawsuit if her wishes wasn’t met.

In speaking, a patient’s right to die changes for state to state. These rights incorporate patients’ capacity to express their desires in a directive, to appoint an individual to make care choices when the patient cannot do so, and to have these desires respected by health care providers. (“Patients’ Rights to Self-Determination at the End of Life”, 2018) The nature of dying ought to be a subjective overview, and every person that is dying, the relatives and friends may have his or her own particular feeling of what a good health for the patient would be. Shady Brook Skilled Nursing Facility main issue is for them to find out if Mrs. Greene really wants to die or if this is her son’s wishes because he is becoming frustrated with his mother’s health. If Mrs. Greene does want to die, is this request by her son, legal or ethically appropriate.

Potential repercussions of this legal and ethical dilemma

This situation has been routed to the ethics committee of the skilled nursing Facility. Mrs. Greens lives in this nursing home and her only child David is threatening to give Shady Brook a lawsuit on the off chance that they had not tended to his request of having his mother die by not feeding her. It is not alright by any guidelines for a skilled nursing home to be disregarded by the law of that state and the wishes of the residents that live there. So this leaves the ethics committee with a predicament whether to consent to what David has asked in reference to stop feeding his mother.

At the end of the ethics committee and decision will be made. if the facility chooses note to go forward with the idea and wished of David regarding his mom, the nursing home should ensure that they will have a lawsuit on their hands. Be that as it may, the facility does have enough proof against David about him pressing the situation upon the staff or maybe against his mother herself even if she doesn’t want to die. The nursing home has confirmation, and documentation by the staff of David and his forceful conduct amid towards his mom and also him being in a money related circumstances which could have encourage him to suggest to stop feeding his mother so she can die.

The American Public Health Association (APHA) has since a long time ago perceived patients’ rights to their self-choice to die toward the end of their life and that for some individuals who are at death’s door can be desirable over any option. These rights incorporate patients’ capacity to express their desires in a propel order, to select a person to settle on choices when the patient is never again ready to do as such, and to have these desires met by health care professionals. (Esposito, 2018) The whole staff at skilled nursing facility have a lawful commitment to ensure that the patients know and have all that could possibly be needed information to understand all about their medical wished.

Factors that the committee should consider in this legal and ethical dilemma

First, I believe that the ethics committee ought to get lower to help on some guidance on this circumstance as it includes ending someone’s life. Considering the elements on how David wants his mom to die, it doesn’t appear to be ideal to have anything consider with no further discussion, debate, and/or hearing. Additionally, David appeared like he would have communicated these choices that he made in light of self-pressure and money related issues.

Secondly, Shady Brooks ethics committee should consider all of the facts that have been laid out from both David and the staff. Some include:

Having all the facts in front of the ethical committee and lawyer can show great deal to the decision that us going to be made. When It come to life or death of a patient no tables should be unturned.

1. Mrs. Green has become very depressed, which resulted in losing her appetite
2. Mrs. Greene seems to be in better sprits when her son isn’t around
3. David has stated that Mrs. Greene want to die
4. David is the power of attorney
5. Motives of David

Lastly, the main and most important thing for any health-related issues is having a power of attorney who will, and lawful arranging health care needs. This written document shows a reflection between the patient, their family and friends who are close with the patient, the patient’s needs, wants and values for the patients’ health condition This is the individual that the patient trust with their life to settle on the need choice.

Reference:

Patients’ Rights to Self-Determination at the End of Life. (2018). Apha.org. Retrieved 16 April 2018, from https://www.apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2014/07/29/13/28/patients-rights-to-self-determination-at-the-end-of-life

Esposito, L. (2018). What’s Really Involved in Physician-Assisted Death?. Retrieved 19 April 2018, from https://health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/articles/2017-11-03/whats-really-involved-in-physician-assisted-death

Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

1. Singh, D. (2016). Effective management of long term care facilities. (3rd ed.).