Legal and ethical issues in end-of-life care.
Advances in medical technology during the past 3 decades altered the scenarios of our dying. It is now possible to prolong life, with the frightening reality that we also can extend death. This paper examines challenges to dying well in America, defines key end-of-life dilemmas faced by critical care nurses, and examines legal and ethical issues related to dying persons' care. These issues include patients' decision-making capacity and right to refuse treatment; withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, including nutrition and hydration; "no code" decisions; medical futility; and assisted suicide. Implications for critical care practice, education, research and public policy are identified.
Kyba
Ferne C
FC
School of Nursing, University of Texas at Arlington 76019-0407, USA. kyba@uta.edu
D016223:Advance Directives; D000368:Aged; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D003422:Critical Care; D026690:Ethics, Clinical; D006801:Humans; D018447:Medical Futility / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States