Life support machine questions...

[SC7]

O/H has just been watching Hollyoaks, in which one of the characters had their life support machine switched off.

I've seen this type of thing a few times, where the family make the decision to call it a day, but it got me wondering; what are the 'rules'.

What if the family did not consent to the termination of life support? Can the doctors overrule? Can it be left running indefinitely?

[CJ2]

SC7 said:

O/H has just been watching Hollyoaks,

Yeah right.

[Blakeatron]

Can you walk by and trip on the wire and unplug the machine?

If your mobile rings does the machine do that dadadadadada thing?

[GTIR]

Can you unplug it and say "Only kidding" after everyone starts screaming and plug it back in, saying you were just looking for a charge point?

[snowy slopes]

Depends, as far as i know, they ask the family at the point the body is only being kept alive by the machine. But you can ask for DNR on your records if you so desire, which means Do Not Rescucitate, so if you pass on, they dont re-start your heart on turn the machine off. At least thats how i understand it, but i am sure someone with more knowledge than me will be along soon to explain it properly

[thinfourth2]

I think it has something to do with brain death but with soap watchers I think they can't use the normal measures

[Rach*]

SC7 said:

O/H has just been watching Hollyoaks, in which one of the characters had their life support machine switched off.

I've seen this type of thing a few times, where the family make the decision to call it a day, but it got me wondering; what are the 'rules'.

What if the family did not consent to the termination of life support? Can the doctors overrule? Can it be left running indefinitely?

Did your OH cry too?














Just me then

[u05je7]

Can't quite remember life support machines but DNR forms are purely medical. The patient can quite happily request it but ultimately it is a medical decision, not the patients. Seen a few being made out before.

[jimmystratos]

This is what I do for a living. The decision whether to terminate life support can only be made by the doctors in charge of the patient. (The only people who can legally consent to a patient undergoing a medical procedure are 1) the patient, 2) a legally appointed guardian, 3) the Consultant in charge of the patient). Relatives do not have a legal say, but of course their views are taken into account as witnesses of what the patient's wishes would be. It would be counter-productive to take a course of action that was opposed by the relatives, but usually the reality of the futility of treatment is realised fairly soon.
What life support is doing is buying time while some condition is treated or gets better on its own. If there is no prospect of recovery, we are merely slowing or postponing the dying process, which is immoral, of no benefit to the patient and therefore illegal.