Table of Contents
Can a hospital take you off life support?
The short answer is maybe. A hospital may or may not require permission of one or more family members or even a court to terminate life support. It is almost impossible to find an elder law issue that is more fact sensitive than termination of life…
Why do doctors stop life support?
Doctors usually advise stopping life support when there is no hope left for recovery. The organs are no longer able to function on their own. Keeping the treatment going at that point may draw out the process of dying and may also be costly.
Is life support same as ventilator?
According to the American Thoracic Society, a ventilator, also known as a mechanical ventilator, respirator, or a breathing machine, is a life support treatment that helps people breathe when they have difficulty breathing on their own.
Can a relative decide to remove a patient from life support?
The decision is based on who is taking care of the patient if the patient is single, the immediate or the person in charge either nephew or niece, sibling as long as a relative is taking care off the patient these relative has something to say and can decide.I know, because my patient was removed life support with the consent
How do you know when to turn off life support?
When you consider whether to turn off life support, there are many individual factors at play. You may wish to think about what the person would have wanted. This is called substituted judgment. Another option is to consider what’s in the best interest of your loved one and try to make a decision based on that.
How do I take my Husband off life support?
In the United States, the decision to take someone off life support is generally shared between close relatives and doctors. A wife will likely make the ultimate choice to remove her husband from life support, but she is first counseled by medical personnel. Making the decision alone is scary, which is why it is best to draw strength from others.
What is the law on withdrawal of life support?
The issue of withholding and withdrawal of life support was first addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Cruzan (8) case, which involved a parental request to have a feeding tube removed from their vegetative daughter. The Cruzans lived in Missouri, which required specific evidence that an incompetent patient would want treatment withdrawn.