Health Sciences 4710A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Surrogate Decision-Maker, Mechanical Ventilation, Principle Of Double Effect
4 Mar 2019
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Poapc (powers of attorney) & sdm (substitute decision maker) An honest and full explanation of their situation even it they seem uncomfortable with it or even if the if the healthcare provider is uncomfortable: 2. Withholding treatment is not giving something that we can do but is not ethical eg. water, food, intubation. Withdrawal: when something is being given and then having to take it away eg. take someone off ventilation. Who can withhold/withdraw treatment: a patient or substitute decision maker can withhold treatment, a healthcare provider. What do we mean by treatment: technical interventions eg. mechanical ventilation, advanced medical interventions eg. antibiotics. When treatment is ineffective, disproportionate, or of no value to patient"s quality of life, it may ethically and legally be withdrawn or withheld. Principle of proportionality: used when deciding treatment or not, life prolonging treatments are contraindicated when they cause more suffering than benefit.
