title: Nursing home care.
abstract: The intent of this review is to highlight several difficult questions from a personal perspective while caring for debilitated elderly patients in a nursing home. These problems appear to be encountered less frequently in the acute-care setting. Where possible, supporting literature is cited and legal precedent is indicated. The following topics, among others, are discussed: a framework for physicians' ethical decisions, basic ethical principles, typical problems encountered by the physician, and considerations for withholding treatment.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D003657:Decision Making; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D008021:Life Support Systems; D009735:Nursing Homes; D010349:Patient Compliance; D008486:Physician Executives; D010819:Physician's Role; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011788:Quality of Life; D012151:Resuscitation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012380:Role; D013727:Terminal Care; D028761:Withholding Treatment
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents