Legal and Ethical Issues: Case Study
Cathy Smith, an eighty-eight-year-old woman, was admitted to the emergency room from the nursing facility with acute respiratory distress. Although Smith does not have a living will, her daughter Rose, a health care professional, has the power of attorney (POA) to make her mother’s health decisions.
Smith suffers from end-stage Alzheimer’s disease and recently experienced congestive heart failure. Her condition is alarming. The doctors want to place her on life-support equipment, including a ventilator. Smith’s son, Andrew, agrees with the doctor’s decision. However, Rose states her mother would never want to be placed on life-support machines to prolong her life.
Analyze the scenario and answer the following questions: