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Living Wills

In: Other Topics

Submitted By charlottecox
Words 2979
Pages 12
Charlotte Cox
Dr. M Butkus
Philosophy 251-W1
13 July 2013
Where the Decision Lies
Living wills are documents that define a patient’s medical wishes usually pertaining to life-support or any such instances where death is presumable. A living will provides a patient with a voice under circumstances which would leave them without the ability to make health decisions. Patients who fall into a persistently vegetative state would be at the mercy of their physician, next of kin, or living will. However, there are many times when a patient’s family has contradicting beliefs to what the patient proclaims in their living will. It can be difficult to decide whose decision should prevail. Ultimately, the previsions made by the patient in their living will should overrule in a majority of situations. Still, there are circumstances when such a decision may be unclear.
First, we must understand the medical extent of someone who is in a persistently vegetative state. PVS is a disorder of consciousness and the patient is not in a state of trust awareness. PVS occurs when a patient loses cognitive function and can only perform certain involuntary actions. Such actions include but are not limited to crying, laughing, or movement of the eyes. For them, any movement or response is purely spontaneous, unpredictable and unconnected to events outside of physical impulse. After one year, it's highly unlikely that patients will emerge from their persistent vegetative state. For those who do, severe disabilities often accompany consciousness.
Now, we can address the ethical issues which arise from family members having adverse opinions to a patient’s living will. A patient, who elects for withdrawal of treatment due to PVS, presumably knows they will die as a result. The patient may not want to “live” if they know they will no longer be able to control their body or live in a way

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