title: Prolonged life or prolonged illness? Helping patients decide.
abstract: When is treatment an ordinary versus extraordinary intervention? In walking with her father through end-stage renal disease and congestive heart failure, a nurse explores the issue of appropriate intervention and the need for better education of patients. Ethical and religious directives for Catholic healthcare are discussed.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harrah
mesh_terms: D016223:Advance Directives / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001293:Attitude to Death; D002410:Catholicism; D003657:Decision Making; D003956:Dialysis; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D016519:Hospitals, Religious; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009014:Morals; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000523:psychology*