Pulling the plug

[Batman III]

What are your views on this?

[nickw_2013]

It should be decided by a group of family members or friends and Medical Advisors or a person previously stated in a will.

[lcsoman0117]

I guess I'll agree with Nick on this one.

[jjasonwrght]

If a number of medical professionals agree that life support should no longer be given and that the patient be let go, a specific set of designated people should be able to weigh in on the decision. (More than three professionals should have to analyze and give their opinions on the case, all three should be unanimous in the conclusion)

1. The significant other (Wife, Husband, Common law, etc.) of more than 3 years
2. The parents
3. Offspring
4. Siblings

Unless under extreme circumstances, no others should be asked to be involved in the process.

If in the rare case that none of the above can be contacted, the following list may then be eligible:

1. Grandparents
2. Aunts and Uncles
3. Cousins
4. Nieces and Nephews

If under the extremely rare circumstance that no such family relations exist due to death or infertility, or the remaining family is no longer sound of mind, 2 more medical professionals may be asked to analyze and give a final notice.

One medical professional should have been in the field for a minimum of 10 years, and the other should be a personal doctor of the patient. If no such personal doctor exists, it is default to the standards of the first doctor from the second team. (i.e. the 2 doctor team following the 3 doctor analysis)

[welshtaffy]

Well i think that the partner of the person should make the decision, and if they don't have a partner then the next of kin should decide, because with the person in a coma (for example) they are practically dead anyway, and the partner/next of kin are already living their lives without them and so wouldn't feel such a loss when they do "pull the plug" when being told that there is absolutely no chance of them waking up.

[nickw_2013]

If a number of medical professionals agree that life support should no longer be given and that the patient be let go, a specific set of designated people should be able to weigh in on the decision. (More than three professionals should have to analyze and give their opinions on the case, all three should be unanimous in the conclusion)

1. The significant other (Wife, Husband, Common law, etc.) of more than 3 years
2. The parents
3. Offspring
4. Siblings

Unless under extreme circumstances, no others should be asked to be involved in the process.

If in the rare case that none of the above can be contacted, the following list may then be eligible:

1. Grandparents
2. Aunts and Uncles
3. Cousins
4. Nieces and Nephews

If under the extremely rare circumstance that no such family relations exist due to death or infertility, or the remaining family is no longer sound of mind, 2 more medical professionals may be asked to analyze and give a final notice.

One medical professional should have been in the field for a minimum of 10 years, and the other should be a personal doctor of the patient. If no such personal doctor exists, it is default to the standards of the first doctor from the second team. (i.e. the 2 doctor team following the 3 doctor analysis)
I don't believe the group should be that strictly controlled.

[jjasonwrght]

Well I'm against letting any set of informal rules decide it. As you know I'm fairly against pulling the plug, and without such standards to actually keep the group appropriate, well then screw pulling the plug altogether ROFL.

[nickw_2013]

I agree it shouldn't be just anyone with no guidelines but I don't believe the people picked for the group should be that specifically picked.

[jjasonwrght]

Your looking at it too literally. Its not as if some sort of government representative is going to be 'picking' the group. Thats not what it is at all. Its like with visiting standards, under certain conditions only family can go and see the person. This is like that, only its screening out unneeded and inappropriate members of the family. It is not right to have a member of the family help decide your fate just because they /decided/ to show up when you were hospitalized. i.e. Cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. It also should protect the closer family members feelings, your wife and childrens thoughts should matter more than your cousins.

Your looking at it like some doctor will come out and say "alright, your thought matters, and yours doesn't, and your does, and yours doesn't.", the regulation would just be self explanatory.

Regulations just sound worse than they are. Go and read up on some other rules and regulations hospitals must abide by. They only sound cold and improper.

If its not strict there is no point of even having regulation. Just let anybody walk up and decide then, because thats what happens when rules and regulations leave gray areas.

[nickw_2013]

I see what you mean now and honestly I have to say I agree.

[Batman III]

As the person who made this topic, I think I'm obliged to give some actual input into this topic :P...while probably less anti-pulling the plug than Jason, I was mixed on the exact criteria, but I agree that a medical team should be the first to favour the decision, and having read the topic, I'm inclined to think a mix of Jason's criteria with the people Jen mentioned on top of the list sounds like a sensible idea.