Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Introduction
- Section I Information problems
- Section II End of life care
- Introduction
- 8 Quality end of life care
- 9 Substitute decision making
- 10 Advance care planning
- 11 Euthanasia and assisted suicide
- 12 Conflict in the healthcare setting at the end of life
- 13 Brain death
- Section III Pregnant women and children
- Section IV Genetics and biotechnology
- Section V Research ethics
- Section VI Health systems and institutions
- Section VII Using clinical ethics to make an impact in healthcare
- Section VIII Global health ethics
- Section IX Religious and cultural perspectives in bioethics
- Section X Specialty bioethics
- Index
- References
12 - Conflict in the healthcare setting at the end of life
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 October 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Introduction
- Section I Information problems
- Section II End of life care
- Introduction
- 8 Quality end of life care
- 9 Substitute decision making
- 10 Advance care planning
- 11 Euthanasia and assisted suicide
- 12 Conflict in the healthcare setting at the end of life
- 13 Brain death
- Section III Pregnant women and children
- Section IV Genetics and biotechnology
- Section V Research ethics
- Section VI Health systems and institutions
- Section VII Using clinical ethics to make an impact in healthcare
- Section VIII Global health ethics
- Section IX Religious and cultural perspectives in bioethics
- Section X Specialty bioethics
- Index
- References
Summary
Mrs. K, an 82-year-old woman with moderate to severe Alzheimer's dementia, advanced heart failure, emphysema, and diabetes mellitus with neuropathy and nephropathy has just been readmitted with difficulty breathing, two days after being discharged to the care of her daughter. In the previous admission for the same problem, she was treated in the intensive care unit, narrowly avoiding intubation by the use of aggressive pulmonary toilet, antibiotics, and diuretics for possible pneumonia and congestive heart failure. Just after her second admission, the attending physician approached Mrs. K's daughter to discuss forgoing life-sustaining treatment. “In my opinion, if your mother should have a cardiac arrest, resuscitating her would be futile,” said Mrs. K's physician. The daughter reacted angrily and insisted that “everything be done,” because her mom is strong and can get better (as she has previously).
What is conflict in the healthcare setting at the end of life?
Conflict may be defined as disagreement between people when a decision must be made or an action taken. Healthcare providers encounter conflict in everyday practice, and one of the most difficult and distressing situations physicians face is conflict with family members over forgoing life-sustaining treatment. What should be a cooperative effort to achieve treatment goals turns into an exercise in frustration and distress.
Why is conflict in the healthcare setting at the end of life important?
In the hospital, death is routine to the caregivers, but not to patients and families.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Cambridge Textbook of Bioethics , pp. 78 - 84Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008
References
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