Futile care and the neonate

The concept of futile care is controversial and difficult to define. Efforts to prolong life, once considered an outcome of healing, may now be viewed by some as harmful acts of prolonging suffering. This article reviews a number of cases representing this challenging ethical dilemma, such as Baby K and MacDonald v. Milleville. The Baby Doe regulations, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), and the Born-Alive Protection Act of 2001, also are discussed to provide an improved understanding of the legal framework that impacts ethical decision making. Nurses at the bedside must be equipped with the ethical knowledge and communication skills necessary to care for patients and families facing the ethical dilemma of futile care. An increased focus on neonatal palliative care is suggested to provide infants, families, and staff with the necessary tools to work through this painful process.