Biomaterial Database

When patients resist feeding. Medical, ethical, and legal considerations. 1985

R Dresser

In the recent past, public and professional attention has focused on the question of whether and when it is appropriate to discontinue nutritional support from patients unable or unwilling to ingest food orally. This article addresses the special problems raised by patients who resist medical feeding. It discusses the following issues relevant to this patient group: competency to make treatment choices, decision making on behalf of incompetent patients, the competent patient's right of self-determination, and procedures for reviewing treatment decisions. Legal decisions bearing on the nourishment question are analyzed as well. Although the author concludes that cessation of nourishment is morally and legally permissible in a few cases, she also cautions that the option should be carefully and narrowly applied.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007882	Legislation, Hospital	Laws and regulations concerning hospitals, which are proposed for enactment or enacted by a legislative body.	Hospital Legislation,Hospital Legislations,Legislations, Hospital
D008297	Male		Males
D009735	Nursing Homes	Facilities which provide nursing supervision and limited medical care to persons who do not require hospitalization.	Homes, Nursing,Nursing Home
D010288	Parenteral Nutrition	The administering of nutrients for assimilation and utilization by a patient who cannot maintain adequate nutrition by enteral feeding alone. Nutrients are administered by a route other than the alimentary canal (e.g., intravenously, subcutaneously).	Intravenous Feeding,Nutrition, Parenteral,Parenteral Feeding,Feeding, Intravenous,Feeding, Parenteral,Feedings, Intravenous,Feedings, Parenteral,Intravenous Feedings,Parenteral Feedings
D010344	Patient Advocacy	Promotion and protection of the rights of patients, frequently through a legal process.	Patient Ombudsmen,Patient Representatives,Clinical Ombudsman,Patient Ombudsman,Advocacy, Patient,Ombudsman, Clinical,Ombudsman, Patient,Ombudsmen, Patient,Patient Representative,Representative, Patient,Representatives, Patient
D010349	Patient Compliance	Voluntary cooperation of the patient in following a prescribed regimen.	Client Adherence,Client Compliance,Non-Adherent Patient,Patient Adherence,Patient Cooperation,Patient Noncompliance,Patient Non-Adherence,Patient Non-Compliance,Patient Nonadherence,Therapeutic Compliance,Treatment Compliance,Adherence, Client,Adherence, Patient,Client Compliances,Compliance, Client,Compliance, Patient,Compliance, Therapeutic,Compliance, Treatment,Cooperation, Patient,Non Adherent Patient,Non-Adherence, Patient,Non-Adherent Patients,Non-Compliance, Patient,Nonadherence, Patient,Noncompliance, Patient,Patient Non Adherence,Patient Non Compliance,Patient, Non-Adherent,Therapeutic Compliances,Treatment Compliances
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
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly