A terminally ill patient is in a coma. The spouse tells the nurse that the patient would not want to live on life support, whereas the eldest daughter tells the nurse to do "everything possible" to keep her father alive. Which of the following should the nurse do?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

There is a conflict between the spouse and eldest daughter regarding the wishes of the patient. The first thing that the nurse should do is locate the patient's advance directive to learn the patient's wishes. The nurse should not follow the spouse's direction or the eldest daughter's direction. Allowing the patient to naturally live out his life course may or may not be what the patient wants.

A Terminally Ill Patient Is in a Coma