End-of-life Care: Legal, Ethical Issues, Decision Making, Holistic Care Plan, Self-care

Running Head: EoLC
0
End-of-life-care
student
5/27/2019

EoLC
1
Table of Contents
Part 1................................................................................................................................................2
Legal and ethical issues................................................................................................................2
Decision making..........................................................................................................................3
Holistic care plan.........................................................................................................................4
Self-care.......................................................................................................................................4
Part 2................................................................................................................................................6
Reflection.....................................................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................9

EoLC
2
Part 1
Legal and ethical issues
End of life care provided when the patients are probable to die within the upcoming 12
months. It also includes the diseases persons whose death is projected within upcoming hours or
days, individuals who have advanced, developing, incurable health conditions, this having
general frailty and other co-existing health issues that mean they are probable to die within years
of time (Chan, Webster, & Bowers, 2016). While providing end of life services some ethical and
legal issues might also occur.
Ethical issues may arise when the four ethical principles are compromised; these are
autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice. A nurse has the duty of care to promote
wellbeing and keeping the patient safe from harm, abuse and injury (Bollig, Gjengedal, &
Rosland, 2016). Ethical dilemmas may arise when the patient refuses to receive any type of
health services and nurses try to keep debating for implementation of that treatment or service.
As discussed in the case study Patient’s wife is sad and she thinks that her husband will die in
coming days, providing fake hopes to her, may source legal issues, it is called therapeutic lying
(Katz, & Johnson, 2016). Before providing any type of services to the person receiving an end of
life care, the consent form must be received from the family (Hall, Orentlicher, Bobinski,
Bagley, & Cohen, 2018). In case it is not done, legal issues may arise. Mac has been suffering
from two different health issues that need regular assessment and management, therefore nurses
have to meet the patients and recognise if he is feeling uncomfortable. But Mac is not very
interested in receiving any type of treatment of involvement, as he just wants to spend his last
days with her wife. Ethical and legal issues may arise if the nurses try to perform her duty, as

EoLC
3
there might be a breach of privacy. Mac is 85 years old person who should be dealt with respect
and empathy, and the therapeutic relationship must also be developed with him and his wife;
ethical problems ascend when the patient is not as respected as expected from nurses and other
health care professionals (Urden, Stacy, & Lough, 2019).
Decision making
Every person admitted to the health care setting or receiving any health services have the
right to make decision about their treatment and services, it can be related to the Advanced care
directives, and euthanasia (Gjerberg, Lillemoen, Førde, & Pedersen, 2015). Advance Care
Planning includes the conversation of the analysis, prognosis, the predictable course of the
disease and the likely treatment replacements, their threats and welfares and must be retained in
the perspective of the patient's objectives, prospects, fears, morals and beliefs (Khandelwal, et
al., 2015). In case the patient and his family are not able to make a decision themselves, they
must be provided with substitute decision makers who are experienced and skilled in that field
this is called power of attorney. Advance care planning is the medical process whereby the
diseased person, in discussion with healthcare specialists, members of the family, makes
individual choices about patient’s future healthcare, to organize for future medicinal treatment
judgments (Sinuff, et al., 2015). In case of Mac, this must be implemented and his wide must
also be included in the process. Before applying this care plan nurses or other healthcare
providers must take the advanced care directive form in which the patient can write their wishes
and choices about future services. As mentioned in the case study Mac is not cooperating with
the nurses, therefore her wife must be involved in this process. A declaration of wishes and
inclinations is not lawfully binding. Though, it does have lawful standing and should be included
when making a decision in an individual’s best interests. Doctors are predictable to endorse