chuckswoman
Member
What is the name of your state? CA
The only request the patient ever made of me, his wife and proxy, was that if it ever came down to it, he did not want to die in the ICU at that hospital. So this is very personal, okay? I am wondering if you think I have aa possible case relating to informed consent (inadequate disclosure). The patient admitted with severe BTI and I was told he would not survive the night. He survived 9 nights before he was declared brain dead in the middle of the night and life support was withdrawn ... the end is a separate issue ... What I am wanting to learn about today has to do with this: It seems to me that the physician in charge of the patient's care should have a responsiblity to inform me that if I had the resources to do so, I could move the patient out of the ICU! I asked about this in the beginning and was told that an outside hospice was not an option. On the 8th day, I found out it was not only an option, Hospice of SB was putting it into motion and we informed the hospitalin a telephone meeting that we would be moving the patient out of the ICU, as soon as possible, possibly the next day. When I arrived at the hospital that night, a resident physician I had never met informed me the patient was brain dead and she was going to withdraw life support. (First of all I don't believe the patient was brain dead but we're focusing on the informed consent aspect here). I mentioned to the resident physician that the patient was being moved out of the ICU into a hospice environment, ASAP. She said the patient couldn't be moved with a ventilator. I told her she needed to update her information. (it is true that we were going to move the patient with ventilator). The patient had remained conscious all week, could open and blink his one good eye and the other if I h elped it open. He was still present, had not slipped into a coma. Rapid withdrawal of all lines, tubes and hoses was the only method the hospital would consider for getting him off the ventilator. I wanted to make it more humane. Appreciate any input on the INFORMED CONSENT aspect of this.What is the name of your state?
The only request the patient ever made of me, his wife and proxy, was that if it ever came down to it, he did not want to die in the ICU at that hospital. So this is very personal, okay? I am wondering if you think I have aa possible case relating to informed consent (inadequate disclosure). The patient admitted with severe BTI and I was told he would not survive the night. He survived 9 nights before he was declared brain dead in the middle of the night and life support was withdrawn ... the end is a separate issue ... What I am wanting to learn about today has to do with this: It seems to me that the physician in charge of the patient's care should have a responsiblity to inform me that if I had the resources to do so, I could move the patient out of the ICU! I asked about this in the beginning and was told that an outside hospice was not an option. On the 8th day, I found out it was not only an option, Hospice of SB was putting it into motion and we informed the hospitalin a telephone meeting that we would be moving the patient out of the ICU, as soon as possible, possibly the next day. When I arrived at the hospital that night, a resident physician I had never met informed me the patient was brain dead and she was going to withdraw life support. (First of all I don't believe the patient was brain dead but we're focusing on the informed consent aspect here). I mentioned to the resident physician that the patient was being moved out of the ICU into a hospice environment, ASAP. She said the patient couldn't be moved with a ventilator. I told her she needed to update her information. (it is true that we were going to move the patient with ventilator). The patient had remained conscious all week, could open and blink his one good eye and the other if I h elped it open. He was still present, had not slipped into a coma. Rapid withdrawal of all lines, tubes and hoses was the only method the hospital would consider for getting him off the ventilator. I wanted to make it more humane. Appreciate any input on the INFORMED CONSENT aspect of this.What is the name of your state?