Ethical Dilemmas In Long Term Care

Words: 114
Pages: 1

There are many ethical dilemmas that management and the professional staff of a long-term care facility may encounter. A typical scenario in a long-term care facility is when the medical staff is confronted with special orders of DNR (Do-Not-Resuscitate) in a patient’s chart and conflicting views of other family members. For instance, a patient who might have mild dementia and is suffering from shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing might deteriorate rapidly and needs hospitalization. The medical crew determines that hospitalization and short-term intubation with a ventilator may improve the chances of the patient's survival yet the patient has a living that states no life support for the patient if the condition is terminal.