Assignment task:
As the hospital administrator you will make a recommendation on how to manage the following situation legally and ethically. If there are any legal documents that should be available, guardianship issues, and any laws that would support your decision. The Terri Schiavo case is a great resource.
Case: You are the new health administrator at Little Falls Hospital, which is a 450-bed tertiary care facility in a major urban area in the Northeast. The hospital is an integrated health system that provides the full array of inpatient and outpatient services. The hospital enjoys a reputation for quality care in the area. As the new risk manager, you have been briefed about a patient care case that needs your attention. The patient is a 45-year-old woman, Lydia, who is currently paralyzed and can only communicate through head nods because of a car accident over six months ago. The patient is currently on a ventilator for respiratory assistance and receives tube feedings. The professionals in the hospital are uncertain as to whether the patient can understand information and make her own decisions. The spouse is requesting the removal of her life-sustaining treatments - ventilator and tube feedings. The removal of the life sustaining equipment is a highly debated ethical dilemma. Based on current laws in the state of Oregon, write a recommendation letter on how to proceed with the spouse's wishes.