Withholding and Withdrawing Treatment
Withholding treatment means not starting a treatment that could prolong life, such as a ventilator or feeding tube; withdrawing treatment means stopping one already in progress, such as dialysis or antibiotics. Both decisions are ethically and legally acceptable when they respect the patient's autonomy, best interests and informed consent. Understanding them helps healthcare professionals, patients and families communicate effectively, avoid conflict and honour the patient's wishes and values.
Learning outcomes
- Good Practice Framework and Procedures to Be Followed
- Clinical Responsibility for Decisions
- Options for Treatment
- Emergencies
- Communicating Decisions
- Recording Decisions
- Reviewing Decisions
- Audit
- Children
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