Biomaterial Database

Life-sustaining treatment. A legal-ethical dilemma. 1990

C M Smejkal, and F J Hill

St Francis Hospital, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Cruzan by Cruzan v. Harmon will have a major impact on how we will care for patients in a persistent vegetative state. Each healthcare institution will need to review its life-sustaining treatment policies to match the guidelines established by the Supreme Court. Nurse executives also need to develop strategies to manage staff morale in coping with the conflicts surrounding the issues of preservation of life, quality of life, and patient/family choice regarding treatment.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008020	Life Support Care	Care provided patients requiring extraordinary therapeutic measures in order to sustain and prolong life.	Extraordinary Treatment,Prolongation of Life,Care, Life Support,Extraordinary Treatments,Life Prolongation,Treatment, Extraordinary,Treatments, Extraordinary
D008297	Male		Males
D003128	Coma	A profound state of unconsciousness associated with depressed cerebral activity from which the individual cannot be aroused. Coma generally occurs when there is dysfunction or injury involving both cerebral hemispheres or the brain stem RETICULAR FORMATION.	Comatose,Pseudocoma,Comas,Pseudocomas
D004992	Ethics, Medical	The principles of professional conduct concerning the rights and duties of the physician, relations with patients and fellow practitioners, as well as actions of the physician in patient care and interpersonal relations with patient families.	Medical Ethics
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D014481	United States	A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.