Withdrawing Life Support After Attempted Suicide: A Case Study and Review of Ethical Considerations.
Publication/Presentation Date
1-1-2024
Abstract
Ethical questions surrounding withdrawal of life support can be complex. When life support therapies are the result of a suicide attempt, the potential ethical issues take on another dimension. Duties and principles that normally guide clinicians' actions as caregivers may not apply as easily. We present a case of attempted suicide in which decisions surrounding withdrawal of life support provoked conflict between a patient's family and the medical team caring for him. We highlight the major unresolved philosophical questions and contradictory normative values about suicide that underlie this conflict. Finally, we show how these considerations were practically applied to this particular case.
Volume
14
Issue
1
First Page
51
Last Page
57
ISSN
2157-1740
Published In/Presented At
Oxman, D. A., & Richter, B. (2024). Withdrawing Life Support After Attempted Suicide: A Case Study and Review of Ethical Considerations. Narrative inquiry in bioethics, 14(1), 51–57. https://doi.org/10.1353/nib.2024.a934174
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
PubMedID
39129642
Department(s)
Administration and Leadership
Document Type
Article