Ethical dilemmas in end-of-life care

Ethical dilemmas in end-of-life care

Ethical dilemmas in end-of-life care

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Ethical Principles - The Four Pillars

PrincipleCore ConceptEOL Application Example
AutonomyPatient's right to self-determinationHonoring advance directives or living wills.
BeneficenceAct in the patient's best interestProviding effective pain management.
Non-maleficence"First, do no harm" (Primum non nocere)Avoiding treatments that cause more harm than benefit.
JusticeFair distribution of healthcare resourcesEnsuring equitable access to palliative care services.

Advance Directives - Patient's Voice

Legal documents allowing individuals to convey end-of-life medical treatment decisions. Activated when a patient loses decision-making capacity.

FeatureLiving WillDPAHC (Health Care Proxy)
ScopeSpecifies desired treatments (e.g., DNR, intubation).Appoints a person (agent/proxy) to make decisions.
FlexibilityInflexible; cannot predict all clinical scenarios.Flexible; proxy can adapt to unexpected situations.
ActivationTerminal illness or permanent unconsciousness.Loss of decision-making capacity.

Decision-Making Capacity - The Litmus Test

  • A clinical, task-specific determination of a patient's ability to make an informed healthcare decision. Can fluctuate.
  • Assessed using four core abilities. 📌 CURA
    • Communicate a choice
    • Understand the relevant information
    • Reason about the decision
    • Appreciate the situation and its consequences

Capacity vs. Competence: Capacity is a clinical determination made by a physician for a specific decision. Competence is a legal state determined by a court. A patient can lack capacity for one decision but still be legally competent overall.

Clinical Conundrums - The Tough Calls

  • Medical Futility:

    • An intervention offers no plausible physiological benefit or achievement of patient goals.
    • Physicians are not ethically obligated to provide futile care, but unilateral decisions are discouraged.
    • Action: Involve ethics committee, ensure clear communication, and offer to transfer care if conflicts persist.
  • Surrogate Decision-Making Conflicts:

    • Arise when family members disagree on the plan for an incapacitated patient.
    • Standard: Always prioritize substituted judgment (what the patient would have wanted) over a surrogate's best-interest assessment.
    • Resolution: Formal family meetings, palliative care consults, and ethics mediation are key steps.

Hospital ethics committee meeting

⭐ There is no ethical or legal distinction between withholding life-sustaining treatment (e.g., not starting dialysis) and withdrawing it (e.g., stopping a ventilator).

  • Patient Demands for Inappropriate Care:
    • Address patient/family fears and goals; explain the reasoning behind recommendations clearly and compassionately.

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • Patient autonomy is paramount; a patient with decision-making capacity can refuse any life-sustaining treatment.
  • Advance directives (living will, healthcare proxy) dictate care when a patient lacks capacity.
  • If no directive exists, a surrogate decision-maker is chosen based on a legal hierarchy.
  • There is no ethical or legal distinction between withdrawing and withholding life-sustaining care.
  • The Doctrine of Double Effect allows aggressive pain management, even if it may hasten death.
  • Physicians are not obligated to provide treatment that is medically futile.

Practice Questions: Ethical dilemmas in end-of-life care

Test your understanding with these related questions

A 29-year-old man is admitted to the emergency department following a motorcycle accident. The patient is severely injured and requires life support after splenectomy and evacuation of a subdural hematoma. Past medical history is unremarkable. The patient’s family members, including wife, parents, siblings, and grandparents, are informed about the patient’s condition. The patient has no living will and there is no durable power of attorney. The patient must be put in an induced coma for an undetermined period of time. Which of the following is responsible for making medical decisions for the incapacitated patient?

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Flashcards: Ethical dilemmas in end-of-life care

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A _____ is a medical outcome that should never occur

TAP TO REVEAL ANSWER

A _____ is a medical outcome that should never occur

"never event"

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