Artificial feeding-Terri Schiavo

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I posted this here becaue I think this subject is something that we as nurses deal with on a regular basis.....Many many people state that they have a big problem with the feeding being stopped "allowing her to starve to death" The Vatican says " To starve her to death is pitiless" Most everyone agrees that it is one's right to refuse to initiate artificial feeding but somehow this situation "is different" How? The patient "starves to death " in both cases-so why has this one galvanized the WORLD? My husband read me a quote from the Bible -forgive me because I can't remember it in detail-it was something along the lines that a woman marries and leaves her father's house and her husband becomes her family....My husband is my POA I hope no-one in my family questions his motives -He KNOWS exactly what I want....I can't question her husbands motives-I know that some suspect foul play and state the results of a bone scan support this...That bone scan was obtained 53 months after she went into her coma-after her body suffered the effects of her eating disorders for a number of years.... Her present level of responsiveness does not pertain to this matter IMHO-she CAN'T eat naturally--she did not ever want to "be kept alive like that " and she can't state otherwise at this point...So- #1 can someone PLEASE make me see why this case is" DIFFERENT" and #2 How do YOU support your patients and their loved ones when they are agonizing over this decision? ONe thing I always ask is "Did your loved one ever give you any idea of what they would want if something like this happened" and if they did then I advocate that stance for that pt as much possible.......I believe that death is the last great trip we'll go on and we should PLAN it as much as possible.The greatest GIFT we can give to our loved ones is an itinerary...........

:rotfl: :rotfl:

I did that on a recent chemistry test. Thinking to myself something like "8.13" and writing 7.86 or something silly. Glad I'm not the only one.

Yea, it is interesting how one's mind work. One time I was writing out a check to pay my bills on my birthday and I put the year I was born on the date of the check. Luckily I caught it later (all the checks). From then on, I never never write out any checks on my birthday.

-Dan

Specializes in Emergency Dept, M/S.
Yea, it is interesting how one's mind work. One time I was writing out a check to pay my bills on my birthday and I put the year I was born on the date of the check. Luckily I caught it later (all the checks). From then on, I never never write out any checks on my birthday.

-Dan

I do that too, Dan!!

They all made it through the bank though. Guess they didn't care that the check was written 30-some-odd years ago! :chuckle :rolleyes:

Jim, I'm just curious as to what your wishes are, if you would want to be maintained on artificial nutrition if you were in Terri's shoes.

I do that too, Dan!!

They all made it through the bank though. Guess they didn't care that the check was written 30-some-odd years ago! :chuckle :rolleyes:

You are kidding! They made it through? Guess they must have a "birthday" policy or something. This might not be as uncommon as I thought...

-Dan

Here is a side note.....No matter what the outcome of all this, Terri Schiavo's parents should use their notariety to send a public message on how an eating disorder can kill/and or destroy your life as you know it.

Re: tube in, or out? I just dont know. My opinion is that a. she will not improve b. that IS suffering c.I think it is very comparable to being given a paralytic without being sedated. (her condition) . And I cant imagine suffering more than that.

Her parents are being incredibly selfish......and they have every natural right in the world to be so. Most of us have the luxury of not having to make or fight for these decisions. God bless all of them.

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Should they be allowed to do that? Good question. I say yes.

Thanks Tweety......so if the parents were out of the equation, would there even be a debate?

I question his motives.

Last time she was removed from food/water, her parents wanted a priest to giver her last rites. The husband refused.

There has been a sworn statement from Terri's nurse that her husband came into the room and asked, "is the b*tch dead yet?" and "I am going to be rich!"

I thought she was jewish......and, sworn statement or not, I bet my right foot that is a LIE.

My professor brought up a good point about this case as well. Why is it that congress held an emergency meeting to make a ruling on this case when there are some many other issues regarding healthcare that gets swept under the rug. It's sad how politicians find a way to manipulate situations for there personal gain.

I have wondered the same thing!

Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

[color=#cc3333]american nurses association statement on the terri schiavo case

3/24/05

the terri schiavo case raises complex and emotional issues about the end of life. the american nurses association (ana) recognizes the difficulty of the situation, however, ana has consistently upheld the right of patients, or if the patient is incapacitated, the right of the designated surrogate, to decide whether to submit to or continue medical treatment. www.nursingworld.org/pressrel/2005/pr0323.htm

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
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Should they be allowed to do that? Good question. I say yes.

Thanks Tweety......so if the parents were out of the equation, would there even be a debate?

No question whatsoever. If doctors decide that the patient qualifies under Florida law to have a tube feeding removed, then there would be no issue. There are checks and balances here, ultimately it's the MD who orders the tube feeding removed, so people just can't go around pulling tube feedings. But under current law, it's the health care surrogate, which is always a legal spouse, can pull a tube feeding on a person. Apparently Mr. Shavio has met all of the qualifications, under much scrutiny, case after case, appeal after appeal.

As I sit here reading postings, I can hear in the backgound continuous reports on Fox news about Terri's case. It is rather unfortunate that what should be a personal matter has become such a media circus!

At least some good has come of this. People are actually completing Living Wills and designating Health Care POA's. One can only hope that the courts will upohold our written wishes!

i think that they should just let that poor woman die with some dignity. i can understand where her parents would have a hard time letting go--but my god its been over 10 years. shouldn't they start the greiving process? i mean, does anyone see the irony in the fact that she ended up like this because of anorexia and now her parents are force feeding her brain dead body? i really don't think anyone with body issues that severe would want to be on cnn with a bad haircut drooling on themselves. i personally WOULD NEVER WANT TO LIVE LIKE THAT and neither would most people.

who is paying fort his anyway? just curious. :angryfire[/QUOT

Thank You. Her parents have said Terri would not want to be deprived of food and water but that is exactly what she did to herself, it is why she is in this state.

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