Health Medical Homework Help. HCR 210 Maricopa Community Colleges Lesson 6 Clinical Health Care Ethics Questions
Can you help me understand this Population Health question?
Three months ago, a 14-year-old girl was hit by a truck while riding her bike and suffered severe head trauma. She remains comatose and on a mechanical ventilator and is receiving tube feedings and hydration. She is unresponsive to sharp and intense pain, and the neurologist does not expect her to recover from her coma. She has developed pneumonia, and given her poor prognosis, the neurologist does not recommend treating the pneumonia but instead recommends discontinuing treatment. Her mother has accepted the child’s pending death and would like to withdraw treatment. Her father believes the child’s life is in God’s hands and wants to continue treatment.
Question 1: Describe the theological argument against suicide and apply it to support continued treatment in this case.
Question 2: Are the surrogate decision-makers acting in their own or the patient’s best interest in this case? Explain the related ethical principles in your response.
