My uncle passed away last week... he was very sick and was placed on life support by his physician...
The problem here is that he had a living will that SPECIFICALLY stated he was not to be placed on life support under ANY circumstances.
My family asked the hospital why they allowed this to happen, and their response was, "No one checked for a living will."
What do you think we should do? Let it lie, or bring the problem to someone's attention? If this happened to my uncle, I'm sure it has happened to others.
(I posted this question in another section also, I was unaware that there is a section on law and ethics - sorry.)
2006-07-17 07:13:52 · 11 answers · asked by AnaGameela 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
His wife is very ill as well, and is incapable of even knowing that he has passed...
They had no children. The only family is extended family.
I'm not asking about this for monetary reasons, just because I think it's terrible that he had a living will on file and it was comletely ignored.
2006-07-17 07:16:08 · update #1
I think that is completely unacceptable. nobody CHECKED?? wtf? isn't that their JOB?? You should make a huge fuss about it. That's not what he wanted for himself! They should have checked.
2006-07-17 07:17:31 · answer #1 · answered by Tiffany C 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It's too late for Uncle, but the situation is easier avoided than corrected.
1. Give the living will to your doctor. It is also important to discuss the living will with your doctor to make sure you understand what you directives mean and that your doctor will respect your wishes. If your doctor has ethical problems with your choices, he or she should help you find a doctor who will honor your choices. Some states have laws requiring him or her to do that.
2. Give a copy of the living will to a close friend or relative who will know if you are sick. That person would be able to monitor your condition and take action as needed. (Such as, for example, retaining an attorney to enjoin the hospital from providing treatment you don't want.)
3. You should also have a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Decisions. This appoints someone to make decisions about your care when you are not able to do so. It would typically and necessarily limited the decisions to choices that are consistent with your living will. You also need to be sure that the person is willing to serve in that role. Don't appoint someone without asking. And DO appoint someone you think is responsible and able to make responsible decisions for you. And be sure you are using a correct form if you do this yourself. You need a power of attorney that automatically becomes effective when you are incompetent. It needs to say that.
4. Many states now have what are called Advance Health-Care Directives that take the place of the living wills & durable powers of attorney. An AHCD combines the two into a single form.
5. But whatever is used in your state, the correct form won't do any good unless health care providers are aware of it.
2006-07-17 08:31:13 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Norm is right. The hospital can't honor a living will if they don't know about it. Many living wills require that someone be named as a custodian or executor, who can inform the hospital of the living will and take responsibility for terminating life support. There is no simple way for a hospital to find out, on its own, if the patient has a living will because there is no law that requires these things to be filed anywhere.
2006-07-17 07:32:25 · answer #3 · answered by AnOrdinaryGuy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you know it a copy of the living will was give to his doctor? It is important that copies of a living will be given to the attending physician, trusted family members and friends. The more people who are aware of your wishes, the better the chances that they will be carried out.
If the physician had a copy, the incident should be reported the hospital administration and the state medical review board.
2006-07-17 07:25:25 · answer #4 · answered by mediahoney 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well it was his wish that he not be put on life support and i think yall should honor it i also have made a living will and if i get to the point that i can not take care of my self then i don't want any life support i have a daughter and i don't want her to watch me slowly die that's the last thing i want for any of my family my grandpa had 2 strokes and was put on life support we took him off because there was no chance at all that he would have been him self and he was a very strong man we knew that he didn't want to end up that way i hope it helps u
2006-07-17 07:26:10 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The living will details who is empowered to make medical decisions like that. The hospital does not have the ability to check for the existence of a living will, an empowered person is the only one that can make these decisions.
2006-07-17 07:18:46 · answer #6 · answered by Norm 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Shouldn't your family have brought it to the physicians attention that he had a living will? I would let it lie.
2006-07-17 07:18:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Definitely bring it up with the hospital. You could help others not go through the same thing...
2006-07-17 07:16:40 · answer #8 · answered by GratefulDad 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would let it fade away! I would say that they didn't know about a "Living Will", enhance them hooking him to support systems.
2006-07-17 07:18:20 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
sue the hospital for negligance
2006-07-17 07:22:00 · answer #10 · answered by gooterscooby 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
See my response to your other question.
-j.
2006-07-17 07:14:39 · answer #11 · answered by classical123 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋