one of the hot issues in nursing (euthanasia)

mattsmom81 · Apr 27, 2004

I came into work one day and day shift told me this story....they were understandably flustered....a family member (nurse) had barricaded herself in her father's room and pulled the ETT and turned off the vent. She silenced the alarms on the monitor for as long as she could. When the staff saw dysrhthmia on the central monitor and tried to get in the room, they couldn't. She held them off til the patient was beyond ACLS rescue. She knew her father would not want to live this way and couldn't get the docs to see things her way. She did not want to wait for ethics committee and she literally took things into her own hands.

Staff reaction was emotional and ambivalent..it was a heart wrenching moment for many of us as we contemplated what this nurse did. She had to know the risks she took and I often wonder what she is doing now and if she would do it again.

Elenaster · Apr 27, 2004

Goodness mattsmom, that is quite an event. I'm at a loss for words except I hope that no one will be quick to judge that woman's actions. How overwhelming for the staff.....

Gldngrl · Apr 27, 2004

I came into work one day and day shift told me this story....they were understandably flustered....a family member (nurse) had barricaded herself in her father's room and pulled the ETT and turned off the vent. She silenced the alarms on the monitor for as long as she could. When the staff saw dysrhthmia on the central monitor and tried to get in the room, they couldn't. She held them off til the patient was beyond ACLS rescue. She knew her father would not want to live this way and couldn't get the docs to see things her way. She did not want to wait for ethics committee and she literally took things into her own hands.
Staff reaction was emotional and ambivalent..it was a heart wrenching moment for many of us as we contemplated what this nurse did. She had to know the risks she took and I often wonder what she is doing now and if she would do it again.

Mattsmom, do you know if criminal charges were brought against the woman for her actions?

mattsmom81 · Apr 27, 2004

Mattsmom, do you know if criminal charges were brought against the woman for her actions?

The topic was hushed quickly after that first day when the staff was shocked and venting...I assume our risk management team placed everyone involved under a gag order of sorts. The incident was reported and what the facility, doctors, and specific nurses who witnessed this actually did, I truly have no idea. The nurses directly involved will not speak of it.

duckboy20 · Apr 27, 2004

I have personally turned the vent off of a few patients in the ICU at wishes from their family. This is almost exactly the same as a patient in severe respiratory distress refusing to go on the vent even though that decision will kill them. If they are on the vent and want off, then I would talk to the physician, have him talk to the family, and if it is a universal decision then yes I would have no problem doing so. Would I like to do it? NO. Would I want to be stuck on a vent if I were a patient when I would rather pass on in ease? NO. Could not do it though without the proper measures of referring to physician and family. If no family though, an ethics committee would be the way to go.

Gldngrl · Apr 28, 2004

The topic was hushed quickly after that first day when the staff was shocked and venting...I assume our risk management team placed everyone involved under a gag order of sorts. The incident was reported and what the facility, doctors, and specific nurses who witnessed this actually did, I truly have no idea. The nurses directly involved will not speak of it.

Thanks for replying mattsmom...I hope those nurses and staff involved were able to get debriefed (for lack of a better word) for witnessing such a emotional event.