ETHICAL Dilemma
Remain Intubated or Withdraw Life Support
STUDENT Worksheet
Joyce Johnson, 58 years old
Overview
When a patient has a stroke, is intubated, and unable to wean off the ventilator, what can be done to ensure the patient’s
autonomy when there is no living will and no family that can be contacted to guide this decision-making process of a
vulnerable adult?
I think the Doctors and ethical committee come in and take place for any decision making that needs to be made
DIRECTIONS:
This scenario involves legal and ethical issues. Using the information provided
and critical thinking skills, fill in the boxes on the scenario and answer the
questions following.
Align you answers to support the data in corresponding box
Answer all questions thoroughly.
Include at least one [1] article as evidenced based practice to support your
answers. Cite all sources used.
This study source was downloaded by 100000836551366 from CourseHero.com on 02-26-2022 09:22:10 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/58758678/STUDENT-Ethical-Dilemma-Remain-Intubated-Withdraw-Life-Support-9docx/
, Clinical Dilemma Activity: STUDENT
Remain Intubated or Withdraw Life Support
I. Scenario
History of Present Problem:
Joyce Johnson is a 58-year-old woman with a history of atrial fibrillation, COPD, and depression. A friend who had not
heard from her for two days became concerned and went to her home. She found Joyce unresponsive on the floor of her
living room. She had a large left middle cerebral artery (MCA) ischemic stroke. She is intubated and has remained in ICU
since she was admitted to the hospital five days ago. She is also in acute renal failure as a result of rhabdomyolysis and
requires daily dialysis.
Personal/Social History:
Joyce is divorced, and has one adult daughter. She is estranged from her siblings and has not spoken to her daughter in
five years. She is on disability for severe depression. Depending on how she feels, Joyce inconsistently takes
scheduled medications including warfarin.
What data from the histories is important & RELEVANT; therefore it has clinical significance to the nurse?
RELEVANT Data from Present Problem: Clinical Significance:
1) Patient has History of atrial fibrillation, 1) The patient past diagnosis is important to the nurse because knowing
COPD, and depression the patients past can help why she eventually got the stroke. Atrial
fibrillation as a correlation with strokes because blood may not be properly
Patient had a large left middle cerebral artery pumped out of the heart, which may cause it to pool and form a clot.
ischemic stroke and was found on the floor in Which then can travel to the brain and block the blood flow to the brain.
the living room by her friend that got concerned Knowing her meds also helps like warfarin because she was probably
because she hadn’t heard from her and went taking this to prevent blood clots and, on this medication, it has to be takin
and checked to make sure she was ok and found daily and have labs draws as well. Has a nurse we know she wasn’t takin it
her unresponsive as scheduled which didn’t help her situation and could have been some of
the reason why. Patient also had breathing problems COPD and sometimes
They intubated her and sent to the hospital was with that you could get upper respiratory infection can cause the lung
admitted to the ICU been there 5 days arteries to narrow or become blocked called pulmonary hypertension and
that can lead to Afib as well.
She ended up getting rhabdomyolysis and
because of that she went into acute renal failure Patient being intubated means she is critically ill and needs to let her body
which now requires her to get dialysis to help rest and recuperate itself. Only time will tell. It’s only been 5 days so they
her stay alive don’t know how long she will be intubated for or if she will remain
intubated long term. It’s a day to day process
Another significant thing that the nurse would look at how she got
rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis is a breakdown of muscle tissue that
releases a damaging protein called myoglobin into the blood. The
myoglobin is what can damage the kidneys. Usually this happens to a
person when they are immobile and stay in the same spot without
movement for a very long time they say anybody that doesn’t have
movement in half a day 12 hours and this patient we don’t know how long
she was immobile for but we do know she was not heard from for two days
by her friend and was found unresponsive probably stayed in the same spot
and position for more than 12 hours which then caused her rhabdomyolysis
which then damaged her kidney and the reason why she needs dialysis and
the stroke was not due to her getting rhabdomyolysis it was her staying in
the same position for a long time
This study source was downloaded by 100000836551366 from CourseHero.com on 02-26-2022 09:22:10 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/58758678/STUDENT-Ethical-Dilemma-Remain-Intubated-Withdraw-Life-Support-9docx/
Remain Intubated or Withdraw Life Support
STUDENT Worksheet
Joyce Johnson, 58 years old
Overview
When a patient has a stroke, is intubated, and unable to wean off the ventilator, what can be done to ensure the patient’s
autonomy when there is no living will and no family that can be contacted to guide this decision-making process of a
vulnerable adult?
I think the Doctors and ethical committee come in and take place for any decision making that needs to be made
DIRECTIONS:
This scenario involves legal and ethical issues. Using the information provided
and critical thinking skills, fill in the boxes on the scenario and answer the
questions following.
Align you answers to support the data in corresponding box
Answer all questions thoroughly.
Include at least one [1] article as evidenced based practice to support your
answers. Cite all sources used.
This study source was downloaded by 100000836551366 from CourseHero.com on 02-26-2022 09:22:10 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/58758678/STUDENT-Ethical-Dilemma-Remain-Intubated-Withdraw-Life-Support-9docx/
, Clinical Dilemma Activity: STUDENT
Remain Intubated or Withdraw Life Support
I. Scenario
History of Present Problem:
Joyce Johnson is a 58-year-old woman with a history of atrial fibrillation, COPD, and depression. A friend who had not
heard from her for two days became concerned and went to her home. She found Joyce unresponsive on the floor of her
living room. She had a large left middle cerebral artery (MCA) ischemic stroke. She is intubated and has remained in ICU
since she was admitted to the hospital five days ago. She is also in acute renal failure as a result of rhabdomyolysis and
requires daily dialysis.
Personal/Social History:
Joyce is divorced, and has one adult daughter. She is estranged from her siblings and has not spoken to her daughter in
five years. She is on disability for severe depression. Depending on how she feels, Joyce inconsistently takes
scheduled medications including warfarin.
What data from the histories is important & RELEVANT; therefore it has clinical significance to the nurse?
RELEVANT Data from Present Problem: Clinical Significance:
1) Patient has History of atrial fibrillation, 1) The patient past diagnosis is important to the nurse because knowing
COPD, and depression the patients past can help why she eventually got the stroke. Atrial
fibrillation as a correlation with strokes because blood may not be properly
Patient had a large left middle cerebral artery pumped out of the heart, which may cause it to pool and form a clot.
ischemic stroke and was found on the floor in Which then can travel to the brain and block the blood flow to the brain.
the living room by her friend that got concerned Knowing her meds also helps like warfarin because she was probably
because she hadn’t heard from her and went taking this to prevent blood clots and, on this medication, it has to be takin
and checked to make sure she was ok and found daily and have labs draws as well. Has a nurse we know she wasn’t takin it
her unresponsive as scheduled which didn’t help her situation and could have been some of
the reason why. Patient also had breathing problems COPD and sometimes
They intubated her and sent to the hospital was with that you could get upper respiratory infection can cause the lung
admitted to the ICU been there 5 days arteries to narrow or become blocked called pulmonary hypertension and
that can lead to Afib as well.
She ended up getting rhabdomyolysis and
because of that she went into acute renal failure Patient being intubated means she is critically ill and needs to let her body
which now requires her to get dialysis to help rest and recuperate itself. Only time will tell. It’s only been 5 days so they
her stay alive don’t know how long she will be intubated for or if she will remain
intubated long term. It’s a day to day process
Another significant thing that the nurse would look at how she got
rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis is a breakdown of muscle tissue that
releases a damaging protein called myoglobin into the blood. The
myoglobin is what can damage the kidneys. Usually this happens to a
person when they are immobile and stay in the same spot without
movement for a very long time they say anybody that doesn’t have
movement in half a day 12 hours and this patient we don’t know how long
she was immobile for but we do know she was not heard from for two days
by her friend and was found unresponsive probably stayed in the same spot
and position for more than 12 hours which then caused her rhabdomyolysis
which then damaged her kidney and the reason why she needs dialysis and
the stroke was not due to her getting rhabdomyolysis it was her staying in
the same position for a long time
This study source was downloaded by 100000836551366 from CourseHero.com on 02-26-2022 09:22:10 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/58758678/STUDENT-Ethical-Dilemma-Remain-Intubated-Withdraw-Life-Support-9docx/
