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When does life-sustaining treatment become futile?
1Swansea University, UK.
British Journal of Nursing (Mark Allen Publishing)
|June 12, 2013
Summary
Nurses must understand when life-sustaining treatment becomes futile to act lawfully. Withdrawing futile care is permissible if it is no longer in the patient
Area of Science:
- Medical Law
- Bioethics
- Nursing Practice
Background:
- Legal recognition of futile treatment in critically ill patients.
- Courts reject mandatory continuation of futile life-sustaining care.
- Patient best interests guide lawful withdrawal of treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To inform nurses about the legal parameters of futile treatment.
- To explain the Court of Appeal's recent test for futility.
- To analyze the impact of this legal test on nursing practice.
Main Methods:
- Review of legal precedents concerning futile treatment.
- Analysis of the Court of Appeal's judgment on futility.
- Discussion of the implications for nursing responsibilities.
Main Results:
- The law does not mandate futile treatment.
- Withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment is lawful when not in the patient's best interests.
- A specific legal test for determining futility has been established.
Conclusions:
- Nurses need clear understanding of futility to ensure lawful practice.
- The Court of Appeal's test provides a framework for decision-making.
- This impacts nursing's role in end-of-life care decisions.
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