Basic Nursing 1st Edition by Judith Wilkinson, Leslie Treas

Exercise 3

Patient Situation
You are caring for a 90-year-old patient in a long-term care facility. He is completely dependent for activities of daily living. In addition, he has been unresponsive, cannot swallow safely, and for many months has been receiving fluids and nutrition through a feeding tube. His adult grandson has recently discovered a living will, in which the patient had stated that he does not wish to be kept alive by "artificial means, including being tube fed." The grandson, John, insists that the patient's wishes be honored, but the patient's son (Mr. Lee) threatens a lawsuit if the caregivers discontinue the feedings. They argue loudly, and Mr. Lee yells to his son, "You just want him gone because you're in a hurry to get his money! You know you're getting the major part of it."
Thinking
Theoretical Knowledge: What facts are important to know in order to decide whether to stop the feedings?