Margaret's grandfather gave her medical power of attorney and had very clear discussions with her about what he did and, importantly, did not want to happen as he died. Unfortunately, he was critically injured in an accident and placed on life support before family, including Margaret, could be notified. As her grandfather told her to do, Margaret brings copies of the legal documents related to his wishes and discusses them with the doctor, who tells her that her grandfather has no hope of survival without the use of a ventilator and medications designed to maintain his blood pressure. Even if he is kept alive, he is unlikely to regain consciousness. Margaret says that she believes that her grandfather would not want to be kept alive under these circumstances and asks that he be removed from life support. The doctor complies with her request, and her grandfather dies within minutes. This would best be described as

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Margaret's request to remove life support from her grandfather aligns with the definition of passive euthanasia, in which medical treatment is withheld or withdrawn with the intention of allowing a patient to die naturally. It is not active euthanasia, which involves taking intentional actions to end a patient's life, nor is it homicide, which involves the unlawful killing of another person. Margaret's grandfather's death was a result of the natural progression of his injuries and the decision to withhold life-sustaining treatment in accordance with his wishes.

Margaret's Grandfather Gave Her Medical Power of Attorney and Had