Following a motor vehicle accident, the patient is unable to make his wishes known and is close to death without immediate and extensive treatment. The patient’s girlfriend, who he has been living with for the last five years, wants the medical team to do everything possible to save him. The patient’s wife, who he left when he moved in with his girlfriend, states she would not like any lifesaving measures and will sign the Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) paperwork. The medical team looks to which entity for decision-making?

Question

Following a motor vehicle accident, the patient is unable to make his wishes known and is close to death without immediate and extensive treatment. The patient&rsquo;s girlfriend, who he has been living with for the last five years, wants the medical team to do everything possible to save him. The patient&rsquo;s wife, who he left when he moved in with his girlfriend, states she would not like any lifesaving measures and will sign the Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) paperwork. The medical team looks to which entity for decision-making?

Accepted Answer

The hospital ethics committee. The multiple considerations and possible conflicts of interests makes an ethics referral necessary to determine what is the best decision for this patient. The patient&rsquo;s girlfriend cannot legally make decisions for him. The patient&rsquo;s wife has significant conflict of interests that may cause her to not make the best decision for the patient or the decision that he would want. It is not appropriate to have a court appoint a third party unless this is the decision of the ethics committee.

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