Patient’s right to refuse life sustaining treatment

Pages :

15 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

04/21/2009

$ 19.95 Add to cart

Summary :

 
 

Table of Contents Patient’s right to refuse life sustaining treatment Table of Contents

 
  1. Introduction
  2. History of a patient's right to refuse medical treatment
  3. Conflict with the physician's interest in preserving life
  4. Withdrawing versus withholding treatment
  5. Conflict in withdrawing artificial nutrition
  6. Decision making process
  7. Who decides for incompetent patients?
  8. Rights of minors
  9. Rights for patients with mental deficiencies
  10. Recent rulings: The case of Terri Schiavo
  11. Distinction of physician assisted suicide
  12. Conclusion

Abstract

Medicine and law overlap in regards to numerous issues, none more controversial than a patient's right to refuse life sustaining treatment. When a patient is suffering an incurable and irreversible medical condition they face the extremely difficult decision of whether or not to continue treatment. The law has not been silent on this issue, yet are many factors are involved when a patient decides to end treatment. In New York, competent patients have the right to refuse any type of medical treatment, and the Federal patient Self Determination Act requires Medicare and Medicaid institutional providers to inform patients of their rights . The right to refuse treatment is based on the Constitutional right to autonomy as well as the common law right to self determination. Any competent patient may exercise this right for a plethora of interpersonal reasons. Yet this right poses controversial ethical issues for patients, their families and their physicians. life sustaining treatment is defined as any medical intervention, technology, procedure, or medication that forestalls the moment of death, whether or not the treatment affects the underlying life threatening diseases or biological processes. Since there is always some type of treatment available for a patient, the question remains when does one choose to stop fighting death, and for what reasons

See similar documents : Medical studies

1
 
Approaching death: A literature review on end-of-life care

Presentation  |  09/09/2008   |  en  |  .doc  |  6 pages

2
 
The consecration of the patient's autonomy

Term papers  |  01/12/2009   |  en  |  .doc  |  11 pages

3
 
4
 
Fair trade in Europe: overview and perspectives

Presentation  |  01/15/2009   |  en  |  .doc  |  36 pages

Latest in the category : Medical studies

1
 
Two health-care law case studies

Term papers  |  10/07/2009   |  en  |  .doc  |  4 pages

2
 
A study on dysentery

Term papers  |  09/25/2009   |  en  |  .doc  |  3 pages

3
 
An overview of digestive system in humans and digestive disorders

Term papers  |  09/22/2009   |  en  |  .doc  |  8 pages

4
 
Carpel tunnel syndrome

Term papers  |  09/04/2009   |  en  |  .doc  |  4 pages

5
 
How can cardiac output be controlled physiologically and pharmacologically?

Term papers  |  08/14/2009   |  en  |  .doc  |  7 pages

Most downloaded in the last 30 days : Medical studies

2
 
A medical case study concerning an elderly man with congestive heart failure

Term papers  |  07/15/2009   |  en  |  .doc  |  7 pages

3
 
Negative effects of technology on society

Term papers  |  05/19/2009   |  en  |  .doc  |  4 pages

Change Currency

About the author :

pencil image Avninder A.  
Level :Advanced Study : Civil law School/University : Hofstra

From the same author :

Immigration of highly skilled workers to the United States

Term papers  |  05/21/2009  |  us  |  .doc  |  11 pages

Religious analysis of death

Term papers  |  05/19/2009  |  us  |  .doc  |  5 pages

Legal analysis of the US presidential election 2000

Term papers  |  05/19/2009  |  us  |  .doc  |  4 pages