Law, Ethics, and Advance Directives Regarding the Medical Care of AIDS Patients (From The Meaning of AIDS: Implications for Medical Science, Clinical Practice, and Public Health Policy, P 94-100, 1989, Eric T Juengst and Barbara A Koenig, eds. -- NCJ-123590)

• NCJ Number: 123597
• Author(s): L J Nelson
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 7 pages
• Sale Source: Praeger Publishers
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Because of the nature of AIDS as a progressive and incurable disease and of the demographics of the individuals who most often suffer from it, a patient's advance directives about the course of his or her medical care can be crucial to caring for that patient.

Abstract

Many AIDS patients will at some point need treatments such as mechanical ventilation or cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Professionals who care for AIDS patients should solicit the patient's wishes regarding the future course of treatment and discuss the future use of life-sustaining treatment. Should a patient become mentally incompetent during the course of the illness and be unable to provide rational input at the time clinical decisions must be made, traditionally the patient's family is consulted for guidance and consent. In cases where family members disagree about the cessation of treatment, the physician in charge should continue treatment until agreement is reached or a court order resolves the disagreement. California has a law whereby adults can execute a durable power of attorney for health care; this confers legal authority on a person appointed by a patient to make health care decisions on the patient's behalf should he/she become incompetent. Clinicians can also follow a patient's written advance directive about medical treatment without fear of adverse legal consequences. 11 notes.