For this discussion, I am focusing on the ethical issues regarding life support technology.
The question that is proposed is “whether life support should continue when a patient
may simply exist in a permanent vegetative state or whether life support should be
discontinued, and if so, at what point” (Shi, 2018). Currently, the decision whether to
keep a patient on life support or not is that of the family. There are miracles, but some of
the time once on life support, the odds are there is nothing more the doctors can do for
the underlying condition other than keeping them “alive” on life support. The debate for
ethical debate for life support point towards situations where it is clear there are no
chances for recovery and life support is only prolonging the dying process (Menard, LPN,
n.d.). Some argue that keeping some one alive without their consent is wrong while
others say that letting a patient die is morally wrong. It is up to the patients care team
and family to work together and decide what is best for the patient.
Menard, LPN, A. (n.d.).Life Support: Information and Ethics. The Official ACLS for
Healthcare Providers in US & Canada. Retrieved April 21, 2022, from
https://www.acls.net/information-and-ethics
Shi, L. (2018).Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System(5th Edition). Jones & Bartlett
Learning.https://wileyplus.vitalsource.com/books/9781284174144
