Should We Withhold Life Support? The Mr. Martinez Case  School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Capella University PHI-FPX3200-Ethics in Health Care

Should We Withhold Life Support? The Mr. Martinez Case

Introduction

A patient suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) named Mr. Martinez, who was 75 years old, was taken to the hospital because he had an upper respiratory tract infection. The research investigates a number of different factors, such as the patient's instructions, the quality of life, the family's expressed wishes, the ethical concerns related with restricting life support, applicable ethical principles, and crucial considerations that may emerge owing to the patient's respiratory failure.

Patient's Directives

Mr. Martinez's directives play a crucial role in guiding the decision-making process regarding his end-of-life care. He and his wife had explicitly requested that CPR not be performed in the event he required it, leading to the inclusion of a Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) order in his medical chart. This indicates that Mr. Martinez had made a conscious decision regarding his treatment preferences and desired to forego aggressive life-saving measures. Respecting the patient's directives is a fundamental aspect of medical ethics, rooted in the principle of autonomy. Autonomy recognizes an individual's right to make decisions about their own healthcare, including choices related to life-sustaining interventions. By adhering to Mr. Martinez's directives, healthcare professionals uphold his autonomy and honor his wishes, ensuring that his values and preferences guide the course of his medical care. The presence of a written DNR order serves as evidence of Mr. Martinez's informed decision and emphasizes the importance of honoring his autonomy, even in the absence of direct communication with Mrs. Martinez. While the inability to contact Mrs. Martinez may limit the ability to gather updated information about the family's preferences, it does not negate the significance of Mr. Martinez's own wishes as expressed in the DNR order.

Patient's Quality of Life

In the case study, when Mr. Martinez's oxygen was inadvertently turned up, he went into respiratory failure and was found in terrible distress, gasping for breath in his bed. This distressing situation indicates a significant deterioration in his quality of life at that moment. Gasping for breath and experiencing respiratory failure can be extremely distressing, causing discomfort, anxiety, and suffering. Given that Mr. Martinez is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patient, it is reasonable to assume that his baseline quality of life may already be impacted by his underlying condition. COPD is a chronic and progressive respiratory disease that can severely limit lung function, leading to difficulties in breathing, reduced physical activity, and diminished overall well-being. Considering the distress and suffering Mr. Martinez experienced during respiratory failure, it becomes essential to prioritize interventions that alleviate his symptoms and improve his comfort. In this case, it may be ethically appropriate to focus on providing palliative measures to address his distress and promote a better quality of life, rather than pursuing aggressive life-saving interventions that might prolong his suffering without offering significant benefits.

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Family's Stated Preferences

In the absence of direct communication with Mrs. Martinez, it becomes challenging to obtain updated information about the family's preferences. However, it is important to recognize that the previously expressed wishes of Mr. Martinez and his wife, as reflected in the DNR order, hold significant weight in guiding the decision-making process. When family members are involved in end-of-life care decisions, it is essential to consider their perspectives and values. However, in this case, the inability to contact Mrs. Martinez necessitates a focus on honoring the patient's own directives and autonomy. The medical team must place primary importance on respecting Mr. Martinez's previously expressed wishes, as documented in the DNR order, and ensuring that his end-of-life care aligns with his values and preferences. Respecting the patient's autonomy and adhering to his previously stated directives should guide the medical team's decision-making process, while efforts to maintain open communication with the family should be made as circumstances allow (Robert et al., 2020).

Moral Issues Associated with Limiting Life Support

Limiting life support raises several moral issues, including autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Autonomy emp